Devil In Disguise
by jbluvs2sing
Summary: Bella is married,for now,and starts a new job at a local bank. Edward Cullen is a ruthless overachiever that will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Their two worlds collide. Will she be able to soften his hardened heart? AH, OOC, Canon eventually
1. Prologue

Devil in Disguise

**A/N: This story was posted originally several months ago, but because my life was extremely crazy, I pulled it. I am now off for the summer and decided that I wanted to continue and hopefully finish this story. Nice summer project, right? The storyline has changed in my head over the course of the last year and I have a pretty good idea where I am going with this one. Please be patient with me. Posting will be sporadic (I am a mom and my kids come first). Reviews are nice, and will let me know if there are really readers out there interested in what I have to say.**

**As always...I don't own these wonderful characters.**

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Prologue

He stood with his back to the door, looking out the glass wall at the busy street below. He loved this time of day. He watched as the people scurried along their merry ways and sighed deeply. One more meeting and his plan would be complete.

The woman that he was scheduled to meet had tested him-beyond the limits of what he had expected she would. He didn't expect her to be as attractive as she was when she had walked into the bank her first day. She didn't look like the other women he had worked with in the past…in fact she was quite the opposite…a plain Jane…but he couldn't deny the physical pull he felt when she first walked in the door. He also didn't foresee that she would be quick witted and smart on top of it all. When he first saw her, he had little doubt that he could break her…mold her into what he needed her to be…now he wasn't so sure. Her will was strong and it had taken him longer than he thought it would to get her to the point he'd hoped she would be at today.

A soft knock and the sound of the door opening alerted him. He could smell her perfume as she quietly entered the room and shut the door. With his back facing her, he smiled to himself and quickly turned around to look at her. He drank her appearance in slowly, starting at her small feet in a pair of much-too-high-for-her-to-walk-in heels, up her slender ivory legs, across her curvaceous hips and perfectly shaped breasts, before finally ending where her shoulder length mahogany hair was gently pulled back to showcase her heart shaped face. He motioned toward the chair in front of his desk, inviting her to sit down. _Let the show begin…_

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A soul was not something that could be sold-at least that's what she thought up until this moment in her life-but here she was facing the devil, ready to sell her soul for a piece of the heaven that he was offering her. She never thought in her wildest dreams that she would reach a point where she would give everything up to be with a man, yet here she was, willing to give up her dream job, her family, and even her friends to be with a man that she knew would ultimately send her to hell. The worst part…he knew nothing of her feelings for him.

She stared at him; his long fingers were drumming the desk patiently waiting for her answer, and his intense eyes bore straight into her heart, piercing it with a sharp cupid arrow. How could she fall in love with a man that was her rival? How much was she willing to give up to be with him?

She knew if she hadn't accepted the challenge to further her career, she wouldn't have met the Devil himself. Was it wrong not to regret the decisions that will ultimately be the end of her very existence as she knew it? She thought not. She would not regret any choice she had made; she was better than that. She had learned from her past not to take anything for granted.

As his eyes looked intensely into hers, she did the one thing she knew she had to.

She stood up and held out her hand, sealing her fate.


	2. A New Start

Chapter 1-A New Start

Bella Swan-Newton sat at her kitchen table eyeing the checkbook in front of her. It was a never ending process…holding on to what little money they had left near the end of the month…and one that left her stressed out and anxious.

Emma bounded into the kitchen, intent on getting her mother's attention. "Mommy!" she screamed from the top of her lungs, "I start school today, right?"

"Right," Bella replied while ruffling her daughter's hair. She slowly got up from the table, leaving her checkbook balancing act behind.

She knew her morning routine would be changing, having a five-year-old did that to your life, but what she wasn't sure of was whether or not she was ready for this change. Bella had always figured she would have more time to prepare herself for the inevitable separation from her one and only daughter. She had been wrong.

At twenty-four, she would barely call herself old, but for some reason, Bella felt older than her age depicted. She had a husband and daughter that depended on her, and for some reason that made her feel like she wasn't getting any younger. Where had her life gone?

She slowly walked up the stairs to the bathroom and looked in the mirror at her reflection. She found herself asking the question that she knew many mothers asked themselves every day, _Is this all there is?_ During the last 5 ½ years it seemed she had lost her individuality by giving all she had to the others in her life. Every decision she made hinged around her husband and daughter.

_What's become of ME, Bella the woman?_ she thought.

She sighed deeply and gently ran her fingers through her long chestnut hair. She looked closer at the strands between her fingers and realized that she could easily start making some changes and there was no time like the present. With new energy, she quickly put on some lip gloss, checked her reflection one last time, and walked back down the stairs to her overexcited daughter.

"You ready for your first day of school?" Bella asked while she watched her daughter attempt to tie her shoes. She bent over to help her and was immediately met with a glare from her little girl.

"I wanna do it, Mommy," Emma protested, moving her little feet away from her mother's helping hands.

Bella put up her hands in surrender and got up to retrieve Emma's lunchbox from the kitchen counter. "I understand you want to do it on your own, little one, but if we don't hurry, you will be late for your first day. Is that what you want?"

Bella looked pointedly at Emma and waited patiently for her answer. The little girl's face didn't mask the emotions that quickly passed across her features before she finally took a deep breath and moved her feet closer to her mother.

"That's what I thought," Bella sighed while she quickly tied Emma's shoes. She patted her daughter's head lovingly as she finished. "Let's go!"

She couldn't help but smile as Emma ran out the door to the garage and got in the back seat of the car.

As Bella drove, she let her mind wander back to her own first days of school. Emma was definitely more outgoing than Bella was as a child—a trait she got from her father—but Bella could remember being excited about that first day; at least she was until she got there and realized her mother had to leave. Bella looked in the rear view mirror at her daughter in the back seat. She didn't think she was going to have to peel her off her legs as Renee had to do 19 years prior.

The fifteen minute drive to the elementary school didn't take nearly as long as Bella had hoped and she soon found herself close to tears as she parked the car. Emma quickly got out of the vehicle and ran to Bella's door. "Come on, Mommy!" she exclaimed while forcefully pulling Bella from her seat behind the wheel.

The schoolyard was busy with parents and students as Emma continued to pull Bella through the crowd of people before stopping at the double doors leading into the main foyer of the school. On the door were several pieces of paper that listed the teachers' names along with the list of students for each class. Bella quickly found the sheet of kindergarten students and scrolled down the list to find Emma's name. There were two classes of kindergarten, both with around 25 students in them.

"There's my name!" Emma shouted as she pointed to the paper.

"Yes…there it is," Bella confirmed. "Room 3, Mrs. Whitlock. Let's go, my little energizer bunny."

As they meandered through the throng of parents and students, Bella kept a tight hold on her daughter's hand. When they reached the classroom, she realized she wasn't ready to let go. Where had the time gone? It seemed like just yesterday she was giving birth to her beautiful blonde haired, brown eyed bundle of joy, and now she was embarking on a very important milestone in her life.

"Hi there," a woman bent down to greet the little girl in front of her. "I'm Mrs. Whitlock…what's your name?"

"Emma Newton," she replied quietly. All traces of her excitement were gone as she looked into the kind woman's blue eyes.

Mrs. Whitlock pointed to the row of hooks near the door. "Can you find your name by a hook and hang your coat up? Mommy and I are going to chat for a little bit. Feel free to go play in the kitchen center when you're finished, okay?"

Emma nodded, her eyes wide, before looking up at Bella to see if it was okay for her to go.

"Go ahead, sweetie," Bella coaxed, "I'll find you before I leave."

Emma smiled and let go of her mother's hand.

"I'm Alice Whitlock." Alice held out her hand.

"Bella Newton. Nice to meet you."

Bella's eyes drifted toward her daughter who had found her hook and was busy hanging up her coat. She watched as Emma looked around the room and immediately made her way over to the kitchen center to play.

"Are you okay?" Alice asked gently. She touched Bella's arm and she instantly looked at the woman in front of her.

"Yes…I think so," she answered. "I didn't think this was going to be so hard."

"The first day of kindergarten is usually more difficult for the parent than the child. I promise to take good care of Emma. I treat all of my students as if they were my own." Alice smiled warmly at Bella and patted her arm before dropping her hand to her side.

Alice was a petite woman, around Bella's age she guessed, with short spiky black hair that barely reached her shoulders. Her eyes were a shocking shade of blue, and Bella could tell by looking in them that she was a kind person. She had on a flowing floral skirt, that hit just below her knees, paired with a blue cashmere sweater that accented her eyes, and on her feet were a pair of what Bella assumed to be designer shoes. Alice had an air about her that put people at ease, and Bella immediately felt herself calming. She liked her instantly.

"Thank you, Mrs. Whitlock…" Bella began.

"Alice," she corrected. "I am your daughter's teacher, but I hope to be your friend. Now, go say goodbye to your little girl and I'll see you when you come and get her at 3:00."

"Thanks again, Mrs.…I mean, Alice." Alice smiled at Bella again before scurrying off to take care of a problem over at the block area.

After saying goodbye to Emma, Bella walked to her car and actually kept the tears at bay until she shut the door. As soon as the door clicked, the floodgates erupted.

Ten minutes later, Bella had calmed down enough to drive herself home. Her eyes were red and puffy, while her nose continued to run like a leaky faucet. Just as she unlocked the door, her cell phone rang.

"Hello?" Bella sniffed loudly.

"Hey, Babe," her husband Mike answered. "You okay?"

"Ya…I'm fine." She sniffed again.

"Okay…listen…I just wanted to call and tell you that I am going to be working late tonight." Bella heard rustling of papers in the background and a bell ring, signaling a customer entering the sporting goods store.

"M'kay. What time will you be home?"

"Gotta go, Babe…Customer." The click on his end of the line signaled the end of the conversation.

Bella looked at her phone before setting it on the counter. She shook her head as she realized that he didn't even ask her how Emma was when she dropped her off at school earlier.

Bella had met Mike her freshman year of high school. She had just moved to the area from Phoenix, Arizona, to live with her dad. Her mother had remarried and decided that she wanted to follow her husband, Phil, all over the country while he tried his hand at playing baseball. Because of that decision, Bella was forced to move to the dreary and very rainy town.

Mike had literally bumped into her the first day of school, causing her to drop the load of books that she had been carrying. He was gangly…all arms and legs…with blonde hair and hazel eyes. He was taller than Bella, although that wasn't impossible being that she was only 5' 2" tall at the time.

Mike and Bella quickly became friends, and even though she knew that he wanted more, she was glad that he didn't pressure her about the status of their friendship after the first hundred times she shot his advances down. During the first two years of high school, Mike was relentless. He asked her out every weekend, and every weekend, Bella would politely tell him no. She liked him, and valued the friendship they shared. She didn't want to mess it up by dating him.

Her junior year, she met Jacob Black and he immediately swept her off her feet. Mike quit asking her out during that time, and he didn't seem to mind when Bella prattled on about things that she and Jacob did each weekend.

Jacob, of course, didn't like the close relationship Mike and Bella shared. He felt it was inappropriate for her to have a close friend of the opposite sex. Bella learned quickly, after enduring a two hour stand off with her boyfriend, to keep her friendship with Mike on the down low.

Mike stayed loyal to Bella even through the pain of watching her with someone else.

It wasn't until the night before her senior prom that things changed between them. If she were being honest, as she looked back, she wouldn't have wanted to go to the prom with any other person. He had been her shoulder to cry on when her relationship with Jacob Black had fallen apart the night before the dance. It had been his voice that told her that Jacob wasn't worth her tears and that there was someone out there that would love her for who she was. What she hadn't realized until that moment was that he was still willing to be that person. Mike ended up taking her to the prom, stating that it would be a shame for her to have spent all that money on a dress for her not to wear it. Deep down inside, she knew that he was jumping for joy when she said yes.

They spent the evening dancing and having a good time with their friends. He made her forget about Jacob and her broken heart.

Two months later, she found out she was pregnant with Emma.

Mike insisted on marrying her and told her he would take care of her forever. His parents owned the local sporting goods store and wanted to retire. They signed the store over to Mike before the ink even dried on their marriage license, and they settled into their lives together.

Because of her pregnancy, Bella had decided to stay at home with her daughter instead of going to college, a decision she did not regret. For a while, she enjoyed the routine she had every day. Each day was new with Emma. Watching her grow and change made Bella's heart soar.

After a while, however, married life became monotonous. She realized that she was no longer BELLA, but "Mike's wife" or "Emma's mother." Not that she minded the latter, but it was disheartening to realize that she had given up her own goals and aspirations because she had gotten pregnant. Mike was content, owning his own store, his goals reached; but Bella's dreams had been swept under the rug, so to speak.

"Time for a change," she said quietly to herself. She ran her fingers through her hair and looked closely at the ends. She knew what she wanted to do. She grabbed the phone book from the bookshelf and looked in the yellow pages for the number to the nearest hair salon.


	3. A Night To Forget

Chapter Two-A Night To Forget

Edward Anthony Masen woke up with the sun shining in his eyes. He stretched his arms over his head, banging his hands on the headboard. He felt movement and heard a slight snore to his right. _Damn! Who have I banged now?_

Edward racked his brain trying to remember the events of the night before.

He had attended a party hosted by his aunt and uncle, Esme and Carlisle Cullen. Three or four times a year, Dr. and Mrs. Cullen would invite the richest, snobbiest, most self-centered people from their quaint little city to a soiree at their house. Edward, of course, was expected to attend, along with his cousin, the ever perfect Emmett Cullen.

He remembered schmoozing with the mucky mucks and drinking his favorite cocktail…obviously too many gin and tonics…before talking to the strawberry blonde now laying next to him. The rest of the night's events seemed to be a blur. Edward rubbed his eyes and moaned quietly, willing his mind to remember what had happened.

Suddenly, the events of the past evening came rushing back to him…

Edward lazily gazed over the crowd of people, making up stories as he looked at them. That one, over in the corner, had left his unknowing wife at home while he made out with the blond tramp that had attached her lips to his face. The man didn't seem to mind the woman's attack as Edward watched as the man's hands grabbed, somewhat forcefully, onto her ass. The only thing running through his alcohol-induced haze was that she definitely had a nice rear end to hold on to.

Emmett showed up at his side as his make believe world played out in his mind.

"Dude!" he slurred, obviously feeling the effects of his drinks as well, "I conquered a fine piece of tail last night."

"Really?" Edward replied, not really caring what his cousin had to tell him, but at the time, he needed the distraction from the boring surroundings.

"Oh my God! I have never had a woman bend in the positions that this chick seemed to contort into!"

Edward looked at Emmett and knew instinctively that he would continue the inane story of his latest conquest.

"By the end of the night, man," he continued, "she had her legs so far back behind her ears, I just knew that my cock was going to hit unchartered territory! I don't think I have EVER had a piece of ass like…"

Edward didn't hear the rest of his cousin's rambling as his eyes caught a set of baby blues peering at him from under some long eyelashes. She was blond…no scratch that…STRAWBERRY blond, and had legs that didn't seem to stop. What was it he had always heard about red heads?…Maybe _he_ could make her bend in unnatural ways before the end of the evening.

She continued to stare at him, and Edward diverted his attention to his overexcited companion standing next to him. "I am going over to the bar," Edward said, cutting Emmett's story short. "Do you want another drink?"

Emmett's eyes followed Edward's, and the only words out of his mouth were, "DAAAMN! That bitch may just put my lay's legs to shame…go for it Eddie!"

Edward growled at his cousin's less-than-endearing name and sauntered…although not in a very straight line…over to the woman seated at the bar.

He knew that he was well over his limit for the evening, but that didn't stop him from ordering his favorite drink.

Edward casually looked over at the woman still staring at him through her long lashes. "Can I get you something too?" he slurred, while swaying a little on his feet.

"I was wondering when you were going to notice me over here…all alone…"

Edward laughed at her comment, knowing that she was not likely someone that would have to wait for someone to notice her anywhere. God! He was really drunk. He continued to 'drink' her in and almost missed her next line.

"I'll have what you are having," she answered, and Edward quickly ordered another cocktail before the bartender had finished making his.

She grasped the glass from the bar and lifted it in a toast. "To having a good time?" she questioned, with a knowing look in her eye that told Edward he would not have to work very hard for this piece of ass.

Deciding not to waste precious time, Edward quickly downed his drink while his companion did the same with hers. He didn't ask permission before quickly grabbing her hand as he led her away from the bar toward the double doors that led out of the ballroom.

Her giggle at his sudden movement almost stopped him from continuing, but the ache in his groin urged him to go on.

Once outside the Cullen Manor, a name that Carlisle had deemed appropriate for the home he and Esme inhabited, Edward looked around at the limos waiting to take Carlisle's drunken guests safely home. He wasn't sure if he wanted to leave his precious Volvo parked at the house, but he knew that he was in no state of mind to be driving. His brain had turned off hours ago; right now the only head speaking to him was the one between his legs. His appendage didn't care what pussy it fucked, and tonight it was hoping that it would get a great lay. Edward was horny and needed release…NOW!

Edward whistled sharply and soon a long sleek limo pulled in front of him. The woman standing beside him looked at him lustfully under her lashes as he opened the door and practically threw her inside the back of the car.

He had barely shut the door when she attacked him, her lips claiming his, as she quickly straddled his lap. She ground her center into his already stiff member and moaned loudly. Edward pulled back, panting heavily, as she moved against him once more. "324 Mileswood Lane," he barked at the driver before kissing the blonde again.

"What's… (kiss)…your…(kiss)…name?" she asked, peppering kisses on Edward's five o'clock shadow.

Edwards's hands roamed up the back of her shirt and unclasped her bra. "Not important."

The woman immediately stopped kissing him and pulled back to look in his eyes. She stared at him, and his face remained expressionless as she looked at him incredulously. Edward bucked his hips slightly and shot her his famous crooked smile. He had no intention of learning her name…he wanted to fuck. Names didn't matter…hell, it didn't matter if she screamed his name or Mother fucking Theresa's…he only knew that he wanted to bang her.

Edward started losing his patience and thought he may have made a mistake when he heard her utter five very hushed words before kissing him again… "You better be worth it…"

His hands roamed over her back and made their way to the front of her slick, satin blouse. Her nipples hardened under his delicate touch, and she threw her head back in pleasure. Edward laughed under his breath and kept exploring her body, his nimble fingers pinching and pulling at her soft mounds of flesh.

He knew how to please women, knew how to make them moan and cum with just the sound of his voice. He played each woman he had screwed like a finely tuned piano. He knew the spots to touch delicately and which to hit hard. Edward didn't worry about whether or not the woman underneath him would orgasm…it was a given fact that they would, several times if they were lucky. The hard part was convincing them that it was only a one-night ordeal. Edward Masen never fucked anyone twice.

The limo came to a stop in front of his building, and he carefully extracted the woman from his lips. He was rock solid and more than ready to plunge into her folds, but he knew that he needed to go through the formalities of welcoming her into his home and offering her a drink or two before the ball started rolling.

Edward stepped out of the car and held out his hand…forever the gentleman his mother raised him to be. "Shall we?" he cooed, looking at the disheveled mess of hair that had once been a very fancy up do.

The woman giggled again before taking his hand, then stopped short, looking at the building in front of her. "You live here?" she asked him while her jaw dropped. Edward hadn't noticed she had stopped until he heard her speak.

He had not put any value in the venue he had chosen for the night's festivities. It was, in his opinion, a humble condo and not one that deserved the gawking that her face portrayed. Yes, he owned the two story brick building, but his home was much larger and paled in comparison to the one that they were standing in front of.

"No," he answered, "but it'll do for what I have planned."

The alcohol was definitely going to her head as she giggled again. He was beginning to second guess his choice in a lay when she sauntered up to him with lust-filled eyes, put her hand on his groin, and said, "Let's see what you've really got, big guy."

Edward grabbed the hand between his legs, held it up to his mouth, and gently kissed her knuckles. "You shall see, indeed." He bent his arm and gingerly placed her hand in the space between his bicep and forearm. She sighed at his gentlemanly gesture as he led her up the stairs to the door in front of them.

Once inside the home, he offered her another gin and tonic while he quickly made one of his own. It wasn't like he needed another drink, but a little liquid courage had never hurt him in the past. He didn't worry about not 'getting it up,' that had never been a problem for him before, but it seemed that the buzz that he had going at the beginning of the evening had begun to wear off.

"Where's the furniture?" she asked as she looked around the room.

"I'm getting ready to move," he lied convincingly, watching her nod in acceptance.

Edward handed her the drink and looked at her ruby red lips as they touched the glass. He was more than ready to get down to business. His pants were getting tighter by the minute.

As she continued to scan the room, he watched her walk over to the large bay window overlooking the lake behind the condo. The water was barely visible this time of night, but there were small lights illuminating the back of his yard that cast a nice glow along the banks.

Edward downed the rest of his cocktail, put the glass in the sink, and slowly walked up to her. He could see his reflection through the glass. With her back facing him, he began to lay soft kisses on her neck. She moaned in pleasure and tilted her head to the side while watching him in the mirrored image.

"Do you like what you see?" he murmured. The buzz he had earlier was back, and he wavered on his feet.

"Mmmm, yes," she moaned closing her eyes.

Edward took the glass from her hand and set it on the counter. He didn't want to waste any more time with the niceties. He grabbed her hand and began to lead her to the bedroom up the stairs.

She moved gingerly, probably because of the alcohol, but still managed to trip a few times before they reached the landing. Edward scooped her up into his arms bridal style and forced the door to the bedroom open.

His head was spinning as he kicked the door shut with his foot and set her feet on the carpet. She swaggered a little, trying to catch her balance, and Edward grabbed her shoulders a little roughly and turned her around. His lips found hers the instant her eyes met his and his dick leapt to attention.

The room was spinning out of control, and it took everything he had to walk her backwards toward the bed without tripping. As soon as the back of her knees hit the edge of the mattress, they toppled down in a mess of arms and legs.

There was nothing nice about the way he attacked her. His lips were everywhere, and it seemed she liked it rough. At the rate he was going, he wasn't going to last long. Her hands moved roughly over the buttons on his shirt as she attempted to rid him of the clothing.

Edward quickly sat up, and the room moved again as he grabbed the collar of his dress shirt, ripping it off his body. Buttons flew over their heads and landed on the carpet, making little popping sounds. As he removed what was left of his shirt, he watched as she hiked her dress up her thighs exposing a pair of black lace bikinis.

His mouth claimed hers again, and he moved his hand down her shoulder to her silicone-enhanced breasts. He silently cursed himself for picking a lay that wasn't 100% real, but that thought didn't stop him from continuing. He was thinking with his cock now. There was no going back.

Edward felt her nails cling to his shoulders as she arched her back and moaned in pleasure while he continued his ministrations on her chest. Her nipples hardened under his rough touch as he pinched and teased her with his nimble fingers.

"Dress. Off. Now," he barked his voice deep and filled with desire.

He moved away from her body and quickly discarded his pants and boxers while she fumbled with the zipper on the back of her dress.

"A little help, please?"

Edward sighed impatiently and helped her out of the offending clothing. It seemed that the easy piece of ass he was hoping for was getting more difficult by the minute.

She turned around on the bed and faced him. He watched as her eyes moved south and took him in. She licked her lips and grabbed onto him with her hands and began stroking him. Her fingers grazed over the head and spread the small amount of moisture that had pooled at the tip. Edward couldn't help but moan at the sight of her hands on his body. His head moved back, and he closed his eyes enjoying the feeling that she was giving him.

It wasn't' until he felt her mouth on him that he jerked his head upright and pushed her face away. Her teeth scraped his cock causing him to hiss in pain.

She looked at him in confusion and he shook his head. "No mouth."

Edward hadn't let anyone go down on him, and he didn't go down on them either. That was too personal.

She leaned back against the pillows and continued to look at him. Her legs were spread eagle across the bed, her slick folds glistening in the low light of the room, egging him to take a taste. He wasn't going to go there.

Edward shook his head trying to clear the fog from his mind. His dick twitched and woke him out of his stupor. Time for business.

His body fell on hers as his lips claimed her mouth in a mass of sloppy wet kisses. She returned them hungrily while she arched her back. Edward broke the kiss quickly and reached for the drawer of the nightstand next to the bed. He may be intoxicated, but he still fucked safely. He had learned his lesson the first time he had forgotten and had ridden bare-backed. He had spent the following two weeks on a powerful drug to fight the bug that one night had given him. NEVER AGAIN.

Edward quickly slipped the condom on while she watched him with hooded eyes. He positioned himself at her entrance and looked into her eyes. He had never claimed a woman without her permission.

"Please," she moaned, and soon he was sheathed within her slick walls.

Edward started moving slowly at first, but quickly increased his pace as he felt every nerve in his body crackle. Her moans filled the room as he pounded her with his body; his balls and thighs slapping against her skin. He could feel her walls tighten around his cock, and he knew that he wouldn't last much longer.

The muscles of his arms flexed as he strained to hold his body up and off of hers. Sweat trickled down his forehead and stung his eyes. He was close and needed to feel her release before he could let himself go. He supported his weight on one arm while he moved his other hand to the mound of flesh between her legs. As soon as his thumb found her clit, she screamed in pleasure with Edward following close behind her with his own orgasm.

Edward quietly and very carefully extracted himself from the arms of the mystery blonde next to him. His head throbbed and the room spun as he walked to the bathroom. One look in the mirror, along with the evidence in the other room, told him he had once again drunk himself into a stupor. _Shit…I need to get myself together._

He turned on the shower and let the hot spray ease his aching muscles. The morning after was always the most difficult for him. It always took much longer to get the women out of his bed than it did to get them in. As he lathered his hair and body, he formulated a plan to get mystery woman to leave. The best way, he had learned from past experience, was to be curt and rude, which wasn't going to be difficult considering the state of mind he was in. Being overly nice only made them want to come back. He didn't want a repeat performance from the silicone-enhanced blonde in his room. He needed to get her out quickly.

A few minutes later, after he had finished showering and toweling off, he realized that he had neglected to bring in a pair of boxers. Wrapping the towel around his waist, he took a deep breath and opened the door to the room.

"Good morning, sunshine," the blonde cooed. The sheets were wrapped tightly around her bust, and she grinned cheekily at him. "Did you sleep well? I sure did."

She stretched her arms over her head causing the sheet to fall below her breasts.

"Care for round two?" she asked.

"No." Edward went over to the dresser and pulled a pair of shorts out of the drawer. He dropped the towel and quickly put them on.

He turned around and noticed that the sheets were no longer over her body and once again her legs were opened wide. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose while exhaling loudly.

"Get dressed," he groaned brusquely. As he was opening the door, he added, "It's time for you to go."

Edward shut the door quietly and heard her mumble a few choice words as she got out of the bed. He smiled to himself as he realized that he had accomplished exactly what he had set out to do…she was leaving and probably wouldn't be calling him back.

Edward meandered into the kitchen and opened the cupboard to retrieve his stash of Ibuprofen. His brain screamed for a drink to alleviate his pain, but after drinking so heavily last night, he thought better of it and took the pills instead.

As he made a cup of strong, instant coffee, he heard her footsteps coming into the kitchen.

"Got a cup for me?"

Edward jumped when he felt her touch his bare shoulder. "Sorry…one cup."

"I'll share with you."

Edward looked at the woman incredulously and snorted. "I don't think so."

"Alllriiight," she droned sitting down at the dining room table.

_When the hell is this piece of ass going to leave so I can get on with my life? _

"I guess I'll just go," she sighed dejectedly. "Here's my number…use it if you want."

Edward grabbed the small piece of paper out of her hand and crumpled it. "Ya…okay." _Sure I'll say I'll call. This was a one-night thing, sweetheart._

"Okay…well…I'm leaving now."

"Bye." Edward turned his back to her while sipping from his hot mug.

"You're a dick," she whispered as she stood up and grabbed her coat off the back of the chair.

The door slammed loudly behind her causing Edward to jump, nearly spilling his hot java on his chest. "Yeah, and that's the only part of me that gives a shit."


	4. A Cut Above The Rest

Chapter Three—A Cut Above the Rest

Bella stepped out into the sunshine onto the sidewalk. The light made her eyes water, but she relished the heat on her face. She felt fantastic; lighter than she had in a long time. She felt like a new person and looked like one too.

After dropping Emma off at school, Bella had stopped off at a local bookstore next to the salon to get an idea of what she wanted her hair to look like. She thought that she would be able to find the look she wanted in some celebrity magazines.

When she stepped into the store, she was immediately hit with the scent of fresh brewing coffee. Her stomach growled, and she decided to go and grab a cup to sip on while perusing the magazine rack.

The bookstore was nearly empty, with only a few patrons sitting in the plush chairs located throughout the store. With her coffee in her hand, she meandered over to where the magazines were kept.

On the shelf were a variety of periodicals that covered everything from boating to entertainment. She picked up the first one that caught her eye and began to look through it. She silently hoped she would find the inspiration for her new look.

Movement to her left and the shuffling of a paper stole her attention away from the magazine she was holding. Over in the far corner sat a man in a very expensive business suit. He was reading a popular journal and was turning the page when their eyes met. The man smiled briefly at her.

Bella's cheeks flamed red and she quickly looked away. She heard the man chuckle softly and when she looked back up he was still staring at her. He was very good looking; probably in his mid to late twenties, if she were guessing, and had the most unusual hair color. It stuck up in all directions and looked as though he had just rolled out of bed. His eyes were a piercing green color and it felt as though he were looking right into her soul.

_You're married…snap out of it, _her brain screamed at her, but for some reason she couldn't look away. It wasn't until he went back to reading his paper that she was able to snap herself out of her trance. She immediately put the magazine back on the rack and walked out the door.

When Bella had called the salon, she still didn't know exactly what kind of change she wanted; she only knew she needed one…desperately. The encounter with the mystery man at the bookstore had shaken her, and she left without getting what she had intended on when she went there. She walked to the salon and opened the door making a bell chime, and instantly her stomach was filled with nervous knots. She didn't realize how emotional this experience was going to be. The attachment to her hair surprised her.

For as long as Bella could remember her hair had been long. At different times throughout elementary and high school it had varied in length from the middle of her back to the top of her waistline. It had been her signature trait. She wore it straight most of the time, but on occasion she would let it dry naturally and soft waves would flow freely down her back.

Behind the desk in front of her was a strikingly beautiful blonde. She had long flowing hair and an impeccable taste in clothing. The woman screamed "model material" and Bella nearly turned around but was stopped by the woman's calming voice. "Can I help you?"

"Um…my name is Bella Newton," she began, "I have an appointment to get my hair cut." The last couple of words were barely a whisper.

"Bella…Bella…Bella," the woman repeated as she looked at the appointment book. "Ah! Here you are! Looks like you are with me." She marked off Bella's name with an orange highlighter, looked up and smiled warmly. "I'm Rosalie. Come on…let's see what we can do for you, okay?"

Bella nodded and followed Rosalie to a chair in the back of the small room.

The salon was small but very tastefully furnished. Directly behind the reception counter were three stations with swiveling chairs and mirrors in front of them. Near each station was a plush chair for a guest to sit in while the hairdresser attended to their client. At the far back of the room were three hair washing bowls and above them a shelf that had a variety of shampoos and conditioners. The walls were painted a calming mauve color and had a teal design that wove through the color creating a very pleasing visual effect of clouds. Soft piano music played in the background of the busy salon and Bella felt instantly calm by it.

To the right of the hair stations was a hallway, and judging by the smell coming from it, there were nail technicians in the other room busily working on the hands of the ladies that were sitting in front of them.

The place was a-buzz with voices, but it wasn't distracting. People moved quickly from one area to the other, talking as they went. Bella followed Rosalie to the last station, dodging people on her way.

She sat down in the chair and Rosalie turned her so that she was facing the mirror in front of her.

"Well, Bella," she began while putting a black cloth over her shoulders and buttoning it behind her. "Are we just trimming the ends today?"

Rosalie moved her hands gently through Bella's long hair and studied the ends through her nimble fingers.

"I actually came here to change things up a bit. I was thinking about going shorter."

"Umhmmm…" Rosalie mumbled still looking at the split ends in Bella's hair. She looked up into the mirror and smiled warmly at Bella. "Have you looked in any magazines to see what kind of style you want?"

"I went to the bookstore next door to do that before I came in…," Bella's voice trailed off. Her thoughts immediately went to the man that she had seen in the store.

"Well, where's the magazine?" Rosalie asked looking at Bella's bag.

"I…um…I didn't actually buy one."

"Okay, doesn't matter. I have some you can look at." Rosalie reached over Bella's shoulder to a stack of periodicals on her station. "Just take a look-see in one of these and see if one of them strikes your fancy, okay? I'm going to go check my books to make sure I have enough time to give you my full attention. We are going to have so much fun!" Rosalie patted Bella's shoulder before walking away.

While Rosalie went to fix her books, Bella looked casually at the magazine in her hands. There were pictures of famous people with various looks, but none of them caught Bella's eye. She sighed deeply and continued to flip through the pages. Just as she was about to give up and tell Rosalie to do whatever she wanted, she stumbled upon a picture on the last page. Bella didn't recognize the woman, however her hairstyle was one that Bella could picture on her. It was not exactly short, but was much shorter than Bella's hair was now. It was cut just above the woman's shoulders with long bangs that swept across her face. Bella thought that even with her wavy hair, she could make the style work.

"Didja find something that you like?"

Bella jumped at the sound of Rosalie's voice and nodded her head while handing her the magazine. "Oooo! This will look so cute on you! I think you picked out a wonderful style, Bella. Let's get you to the sink and get started!"

Rosalie chatted about everything but yet nothing at all while she worked on Bella's hair. She asked questions about Bella's family and what she planned on doing with all of the free time she had now that Emma was in school.

"I was thinking about getting a part-time job," Bella answered as Rosalie snipped away at her hair.

"That's a great idea…help out with the family finances, huh? What does your husband do for a living?" Rosalie asked.

"He owns a sporting goods store. In fact, it was a wedding gift to us. His parents were looking for a reason to get out of the business. When I got pregnant and Mike asked me to marry him, it seemed like the logical step to take." Bella sighed. She couldn't remember the last time she was so free in speaking about her personal life. She chuckled to herself as she realized that it must be something about the chairs that made women want to spill their guts to their hairdresser. Rosalie made the conversation easy. She asked questions and Bella found that she wanted to answer them truthfully.

After watching Rosalie cut her hair for nearly a half an hour, she soon found herself with her back facing the mirror. When Bella started to complain, Rosalie shut her up quickly. "I like the element of surprise…trust me, you will too."

"I hate surprises."

"Suck it up, missy…you're going to love this one. Your husband will be picking his jaw up off of the floor when I am done with you."

Bella let her mind wander as Rosalie quickly and efficiently dried her hair and began styling. She knew she wanted a change, but suddenly realized that she hadn't talked to Mike about her decision. Mike loved her hair, but she was hoping that he would be accepting of the change that she had made. Just thinking about his reaction, however, gave her butterflies in her stomach. _Oh God! What did I do?_

Bella's fears were quickly dispersed as Rosalie finished. "Are you ready to see the new you, Bella?" she asked before turning the chair around.

"Ready as I'll ever be," Bella voiced passively.

"Don't worry…you're going to love it! Close your eyes."

Bella did as she was told while she felt Rosalie turn the chair around.

"Open your eyes."

Bella opened her eyes and blinked at the reflection in the mirror. She hardly recognized the person staring back at her. She looked at Rosalie who was beaming with pride at her work. Turning her gaze back to the reflection, she brought her hands up to her head and played with what was left of her hair. Tears threatened to spill and she heard Rosalie gasp behind her.

"Ah…honey…don't cry!" she soothed, "You don't like it?"

"No," Bella sniffed, "it's not that…"

Bella continued to look in the mirror as the tears started to fall freely. She couldn't believe how different she looked. She looked younger…more her age. Her emotions ran wild and she realized that for the first time in her life, she actually felt…beautiful.

"I look so different," she tried to explain. "I look...pretty."

"Well, of course you look pretty, silly! You were pretty before, Bella. I just enhanced your beauty for you. So…you really like it?"

"Yes…," she answered honestly. "I love it. Thank you so much."

Bella wiped the tears from her eyes and continued to look at her reflection. _This is going to take some getting used to,_ she thought to herself.

Ten minutes later, she had composed herself well enough to pay for Rosalie's services. She promised she would return for routine trims, and before leaving gave Rosalie a hug.

"Feel free to come and visit me anytime," Rosalie said as Bella released her. "You don't have to have an appointment to pop in and say 'Hi.'"

"Thank you again." Bella stepped out of the salon and walked toward her car. She looked at her watch and realized it was time to pick Emma up from school. She silently wondered what her feisty daughter would think of her new look. Putting a smile on her face, she started the car and drove straight to Emma's school.

Bella stood outside with the rest of the parents waiting to pick up their kids. She nervously moved back and forth, shifting her weight from one leg to the other, while playing with her now 'just-above-the-shoulder' hair. Soon a stream load of kids started pushing their way out the front doors. Bella stood back waiting to see Emma bounce her way out of the school.

Bella watched as the other students found their parents. Most of the children had happy expressions on their faces, but she couldn't help but notice one little boy who was looking around with tears in his eyes. Bella's heart broke for him as she made her way over to where he was standing.

"Hey…are you okay?" she asked while bending down.

The boy wiped his runny nose on his sleeve and looked at Bella, "I'm not s'posed to talk to strangers."

"That's right," she answered, "you're not. Your mommy and daddy taught you well. Is your mommy and daddy here?"

The young boy looked at her and refused to speak. Clearing her throat, and muttering to herself, Bella stood up and looked around the courtyard. There were plenty of students and parents around, but she was having a hard time finding someone who looked like a teacher. The boy continued to sniffle next to her while she looked for someone that looked like the crying child.

She heard Emma's voice talking to someone in the distance and realized that she had missed her walking out of the school. She looked over to the front doors and saw her standing with Mrs. Whitlock.

She knelt down to look at the boy, "Do you see Mrs. Whitlock over there?"

The boy turned and followed Bella's gaze. As soon as he saw Alice, he nodded his head.

"Okay…I am going to take you over to her, okay? She's not a stranger right?" Bella held out her hand and the boy took it reluctantly. She breathed a sigh of relief and slowly walked over to where Alice and Emma were standing.

"Mommy!" Emma screamed and ran towards Bella but suddenly stopped in her tracks and stared at her mother with her mouth agape.

"It's me, sweetie," Bella said softly as she reached her daughter. "Does mommy look different?"

Emma stood silently in front of Bella and nodded her head slowly. Bella felt a tug on her shirt and she realized that she was still holding the lost boy's hand. She gently let go and steered him toward Emma's teacher.

"Alex, are you okay?" Alice asked taking the boy's hand. "C'mon, let's go find Mrs. Peters. She'll call your mom, alright?"

Just as Alice was going to turn and head toward the door, she stopped and whipped her head around so fast it startled Bella. "Oh. My. God! Bella? Emma's mom? Is that you? You look fantastic!"

Alice jumped up and down and clapped her hands together while she motioned for Bella to spin. Bella did as requested and she heard Emma giggle beside her.

"Mrs. Whitlock, you are so funny." Emma exclaimed.

"Well, don't you think mommy looks great, Emma?" Bella looked down at her daughter and saw her reflection through Emma's eyes. She saw nothing but adoration as her daughter looked at her.

"My mommy looked great before, Mrs. Whitlock…," Emma began, "but now she looks…beautiful."

Bella's tried to keep the tears away as she listened to her daughter speak. She could only hope that she would get the same reaction from her husband when he returned home a few hours later. She planned on making his favorite meal for him and silently prayed that it would soften the reaction she knew she was going to get when he laid eyes on her.

Bella and Alice talked for a few minutes about her day and how she had decided to get her hair cut, before Bella decided it was time to go. Alex and Emma were playing nearby when Bella called her daughter. "Emma, it's time to go."

"Alex, let's go see what has happened to your mommy, okay?" Alice waved at Bella as she walked him up the stairs and through the door.

While Bella listened to her daughter talk about her day, she noticed a shiny silver car pull quickly into the parking lot. The car skidded to a halt and a man quickly stepped out of the vehicle. Bella's breath hitched when she realized that it was the same man that she had seen earlier in the day at the bookstore. He looked frazzled as he ran to the doors of the school without casting Bella a sideways glance.

_Did you think he would actually look?_ Bella thought to herself.

Emma pulled on her hand and Bella shook her head marveling at the coincidence of running into 'mystery man' again.

Bella scrambled around the kitchen preparing Mike's favorite meal, baked ham with potatoes and carrots, while Emma watched television. Her nerves were making her sick to her stomach as she cooked. She dreaded the inevitable confrontation she knew she was going to have with him about her hair. It seemed that lately everything got blown out of proportion. Not only did they argue about the normal things like finances, and their lack of sex, but it seemed that they now argued about small things such as what was for dinner, or how she dressed Emma in the morning.

The door opening and slamming shut shook Bella from her thinking. _Here goes nothing._

"Wow! Something smells good," Mike stated as Bella heard him set his keys noisily on the small table next to the door.

"Daddy!"

"Hey there, Princess…where's your mom?" Mike asked.

"In the kitchen. She's making your favorite dinner." Emma answered sweetly.

Bella took a deep breath to calm her nerves and stepped around the corner. Mike was smiling at his daughter as he swung her around in his arms. He looked away from her face and his eyes met Bella's. His movement immediately stopped and he gently put Emma down.

"Emma, why don't you go play in your room while I help mommy get dinner finished." Mike's gaze never left Bella and his eyes darkened.

Bella watched Emma run to her room before turning her attention back to her husband. His features didn't hide his anger once Emma left. "What the fuck did you do to your hair?" he hissed quietly.

"I cut it." Bella replied simply.

"Why?"

"I wanted a change." Bella walked back into the kitchen and started putting the potatoes and carrots into a bowl.

Mike's voice behind her startled her and she dropped the spoon she was using. "I don't like it. What was wrong with your hair that you had to go and get it butchered the way you have?"

Bella turned around and sighed. "You know your daughter started school today…wouldn't you rather talk about her day?"

"Not particularly…why did you ruin your hair?"

"I didn't ruin it, Mike." Bella turned her attention back to her stove. "I needed a change. Emma starting school hit me really hard today. I wanted to do something for me…" She felt the tears burn her eyes and couldn't hold back the disappointment she felt at Mike's reaction. Earlier in the day she had felt beautiful, young, and full of life…now she wanted to hide and wished she could somehow attach her hair back to her head.

She heard Mike stomp out of the kitchen, grab his keys, and open the door. Bella peaked around the corner and saw him standing in the door jam. "Dinner is ready," she whispered quietly.

"I've lost my appetite. I'm going back to the store." Bella jumped when she heard the door slam behind him.

She sunk to the floor and sobbed in her hands. She knew that Mike would be a little upset about her hair, but somehow didn't expect him to react the way he had towards her. He was so angry and the look on his face spoke volumes of how he really felt about what she had done. She had wanted him to accept her change, to embrace it, to tell her she looked as beautiful as she had felt earlier in the day; that obviously wasn't going to happen.

Emma's little foot steps in the hallway alerted Bella, and she quickly wiped her tears and stood up.

"Where's daddy?" Emma asked.

Bella put on a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "He had to go back to the store, honey…um…he forgot something."

"Is he going to come back for dinner?"

"I don't know…" Bella went to the oven and pulled out the ham. She sliced it and put a small piece on a plate for her daughter along with some potatoes and carrots. "C'mon, just because Daddy isn't here doesn't mean we can't enjoy dinner."

They sat at the table and ate in silence for a few minutes before Emma put her fork down and looked at Bella. "Mommy?"

"Yes, sweetheart."

"I really like your hair. You are the best looking mommy I have ever seen."

Bella looked up from her plate and saw Emma smiling widely at her. She felt her eyes well up again at her daughter's kind words. "Thank you, Emma. You make mommy so happy."

After dinner, Bella cleaned the kitchen, made a plate for Mike and put it in the refrigerator. Emma took her bath, and Bella read her a story before tucking her into bed.

Mike didn't come home that night.


	5. A Slave Am I

Chapter Four-A Slave Am I

Edward stared out his dining room window a little longer after the blonde left, slowly sipping the hot liquid in his cup. He was too old to deal with the bullshit of dating and falling in love. Whatever happened to the good old days when you could have a one night's stand without all the strings attached? Women nowadays expected a relationship…wanted the all-out courting; flowers, dinner, and dancing afterward. Edward didn't have it in him to take the time to do it. In his opinion, there wasn't a woman out there worthy of that kind of attention; at least not one that he had found yet.

He set his standards high, probably unattainably high, but that didn't bother him. If he was destined to be alone the rest of his life, he was okay with that. The only thing that mattered to him was getting laid every so often. As long as he could find a good piece of ass every once in a while, he was happy.

Edward downed the rest of his coffee and placed the mug in the sink. He didn't need to be at work for at least another two hours, but he didn't feel like staying in the empty condo any longer. He was thankful he had thought ahead and told his boss, Aro, that he wouldn't be at the bank until sometime after eleven. Aro knew of Carlisle's party and had surprised Edward by telling him he could have the day off if he wanted, but Edward politely declined and told him what time to expect him. The last thing he needed was Aro to have leverage of any kind against him.

Edward had worked for Aro as a Retail Services Manager for the past four years. After graduating from college with a degree in business, Edward wasn't sure what he wanted to do with his life. The degree he had chosen had a wide range of areas that he could explore, but he wasn't sure where he should start. When his uncle suggested calling Aro at Pacific Coastline Bank, Edward decided that he could use his degree to get into the banking world and later move on to get his master's in finance or some other money-making field.

Unlike Aro's other employees, Edward didn't start his job at the entry level. With Carlisle's help, he was able to land the position he held now. His first task upon finding out he had the job was to hire Carlisle's partner's son, Tyler, for one of the teller positions available at the branch. That favor didn't work out very well. On one of the rare occasions that Aro decided to watch the surveillance cameras, he saw Tyler slip a twenty dollar bill into his pocket and fired him on the spot. Because Edward hadn't been the one to let him go, his conscience was cleared from owing his uncle for the favor he had done for him.

Edward made his way from the kitchen and up the stairs to the bathroom to take a shower. He didn't keep any clothes at this condo, his intentions were to sell the place, not live there, so after he was finished he was forced to put on his tux from the prior evening. As he tried to tame the unruly mop on top of his head, his thoughts moved to a happier time in his life.

Edward grew up in a very affluent area of Chicago up until the day his parents died and he was forced to leave the only home he had ever known. His father, Edward Masen, Sr., had been a very successful doctor at one of the hospitals in the greater Chicago area; his mother Elizabeth had stayed at home with Edward, preferring to raise her son instead of resuming her teaching career.

Edward remembered special times he and his mother had spent just sitting at the breakfast nook talking about music and baseball. Elizabeth was a wonderful, doting mother who never lost her temper even when Edward did something stupid like trying to find out what would happen if he peed in the electrical outlet of his room, or when he decided it would be fun to run poppers through the kitchen cabinets so that when she opened them a loud pop would sound, causing her to scream.

Edward Sr. was just as devoted to his son. Edward could remember many times when he and his father would spend countless hours outside throwing a baseball to each other while talking about when the Cubbies would finally make it to the World Series. Even though there were numerous times when his father was not able to be at home because of his duties at the hospital, Edward never felt like his father didn't love him. When he was home, Edward remembered that his father made time for him and his mother. He knew he was loved.

Edward was nine years old the year his parents died. It was a random act of violence, but Edward still felt to this day that he was somehow responsible.

He had just arrived home from school and his mother greeted him at the door with a smile and a plate full of cookies, just like she had every day before. His father, on one of his rare days off during the week, was sitting in the lounge, smoking his pipe and reading the Chicago Tribune. He looked up from the paper to greet his son with a smile.

"How was your day, son?"

"It was okay." Edward hung his coat up on the coat tree located near the door and took off his shoes.

"Just okay?" his mother inquired.

Edward slowly sauntered over to his father. He could feel his mother walking behind him. When he reached his father, he handed him the note the principal had given him earlier in the day and hung his head in shame. He hated disappointing his parents and knew that once they read the letter, they would be upset at his behavior.

Edward watched as his father and mother read over the letter; their expressions stayed stoic as they poured over the words the principal wrote.

When they were finished, his father sighed deeply, took off his reading glasses and looked at Edward. His eyes seemed to be inspecting him for damage. His mother's face remained expressionless. Edward couldn't bear to look at her.

"It says here that you got in a fight with James today," his father began.

"Yes."

"What was it about?" Edward's father looked at him pointedly, waiting for him to answer. Edward knew he needed to tell the truth. What he did was justified in his opinion, but he knew how his father felt about fighting.

Edward sighed and looked up at his father. He was going to tell his dad what happened like he knew a man should. He would own up to what he did and hope that his father would understand the reasons behind it.

"James and his friends decided to play dodge ball at lunch recess. I watched from the side while they picked teams. He asked me if I wanted to play, so I did." Edward paused to take a breath while his father continued to look at him, willing him to get to the point. "I was on James' team. A new kid came to our class today, and when he asked if he could play, James said 'Sure.' The game was fun at first, Dad; we were all playing fair and by the rules. Then the new kid…I don't remember his name…hit James really hard in the head. The new kid didn't know what kind of temper James had but was cool because right after he did it, he came over to James and apologized. James was already very angry, and when the new kid turned around, James took the ball and threw it as hard as he could and hit the new kid in the back of his head."

"That doesn't explain why YOU fought with James, son," his father spoke incredulously.

"He didn't stop with throwing the ball at his head, Dad," Edward continued. "After he hit him in the head, James and his friend Laurent started kicking him while he was on the ground. It was two against one, Dad. The new kid apologized and I knew he meant it. It was just a game, and James and Laurent ganged up on him. What was I supposed to do, Dad, let him get beat up? He did the right thing by apologizing…James took it too far." His last words were barely a whisper.

"Although I can understand why you did what you did, Edward, it still doesn't make it right. It says here that your mother and I are to meet with the principal in ½ an hour. I want you to go up to your room until we return. I'll think of an appropriate punishment when we come back."

Edward hated disappointing his father more than anything in the world, but he knew that his actions were justified. He wasn't sorry for sticking up for the new kid. As Edward pulled James away from the blonde haired boy, Laurent heard someone call for the lunch duty teacher and took off. James tried to hit Edward but his reflexes were too quick, and with one swift punch to the jaw, James was on the cement with Edward towering over him. Edward's hands were balled up ready to strike again, but James didn't move…instead he cried.

Edward helped the new kid brush himself off just before the lunch duty teacher grabbed him and took him to the office.

Edward listened as he heard his parents leave the garage. It was the last time he ever saw them. On their way home, his father had decided to stop at a nearby convenience store to get some milk. While there, the store was robbed by a crazed and drugged out man in his early twenties. With his mother waiting in the car, his father had tried to help the clerk and the gun went off shooting him in his heart. He was dead instantly.

Elizabeth, according to police reports, had witnessed the whole scene and ran into the store to her injured husband, startling the gunman. He turned the gun toward her and fired once, hitting her in the head. Elizabeth survived for a few days on life support, but her brother had decided to take her off and let her rest in peace. She died a few hours later.

Edward's life changed instantly. His belongings were packed and he was immediately shipped to the west coast to live with Carlisle and Esme. His world had been shattered and he changed bit by bit from the playful, loving boy he was with his parents to the cold-hearted bastard he was now.

Edward drove mindlessly to his apartment at the other end of town while reminiscing about his parents. There wasn't a day that went by that he didn't think about them. When he thought about the decision his uncle had made, it made his blood boil. As he pulled into his assigned parking space, he vowed that within the next month he would find the time to go visit his parents' grave. It had been too long since he'd been there last.

After changing out of his tux and into his navy blue pinstriped suit and red tie, he realized he still had time to kill before heading to the office. Not wanting to arrive any sooner than necessary, he decided to visit the local bookstore near the bank to have a cup of java and read The Wall Street Journal.

He walked into the quiet store and up to the young woman working at the coffee counter. The girl was pretty with long brown hair that was pulled back and through the back of the cap she was wearing. She hadn't noticed Edward yet and he took the opportunity to give her a closer look. She had long lean legs that were practically poured into her too tight jeans. Her breasts, Edward noticed, were large enough to accentuate her body but not much more than a mouthful. His dick got hard in his slacks, and he discretely adjusted himself before clearing his throat to get her attention.

"Excuse me."

The girl jumped and looked at him with wide eyes that were as blue as the sky. "Oh, my gosh! You scared me!"

Edward couldn't take his eyes off the beauty in front of him. She was beyond gorgeous and entirely too young for him. She couldn't be a day over sixteen…complete jailbait. _Damn it! Too young too young…_he repeated to himself before he found his voice. "I'd like a double shot latte."

The girl swallowed and reluctantly turned from Edward to begin working on his coffee. When she finished, she handed him his cup and let her fingers linger a little longer than necessary over his. "Will that be all?" she crooned, her voice low and husky.

Edward laid a five dollar bill on the counter. "Keep the change, sweetheart."

As he walked toward one of the chairs near the magazine rack, he heard the girl say, "What an ass…a lousy penny tip."

Edward grabbed his newspaper and sat down in the leather chair. He was about to set his coffee on the napkin the girl gave him with his cup when he noticed the writing on it.

"Yeah…you can throw that away when you're done with your coffee," he heard the girl say under her breath.

Edward began reading his paper when noise from the magazine rack caught his attention. As he turned the page, he allowed his eyes to wander up from the paper to see who was near him. He couldn't believe his luck. Within a span of only a few minutes, he had managed to make eye contact with not one but two beautiful women. One of course was much too young for him, but as he looked at the dark haired woman in front of him, he couldn't help but smile.

Her cheeks flamed red and she quickly ducked her head back into the magazine in her hands. Edward chuckled softly as he discovered that her blush only enhanced her beauty. He continued to watch her over his paper as she tried to compose herself. Her hair hung in loose waves down past the middle of her back. She had a heart shaped face and the brownest eyes Edward had ever seen. They were like melted milk chocolate. She stared back at him and he couldn't take his eyes off her. He allowed his eyes to roam until a flash of gold caught his attention. _Married…_

Edward broke their gaze and peered at his watch. It was time to go to the bank, and when he looked back up, the woman was gone. _Luck indeed_, Edward thought. _One too young…the other married._

Edward folded the paper in half, tucked it under his arm, and began the dreaded walk to the bank. He wasn't sure what to expect when he arrived. There were some days when things went smoothly and others when it seemed that nothing would go right. The only upside to the day ahead of him was that it was going to be shorter than his usual eight hours.

Edward walked through the heavy glass doors and into complete pandemonium. There was a line ten people deep waiting to complete their transactions and only two tellers at the counter that should have had six. Edward quickly went into manager mode and within a few strides reached the door leading behind the teller station.

"Where the hell is everybody?" he whispered curtly to Lauren Mallory, his lead teller.

"Janice called in…something about her kid being sick, Eric's mother is in the hospital, and we don't have anyone else to call in. Where the hell were you?" Lauren snapped back.

"I don't have to justify my whereabouts to you…and you better watch your tone or you'll be facing another write up for insubordination." Edward stormed away from the callousness of the woman he wished he could fire but couldn't because she was a close cousin to his boss's wife.

Edward went into the vault and took out his drawer preparing to do what he rarely had to…work the teller line.

Two hours later, the line had died down enough for Lauren and Angela to handle the floor while he went to his office to take care of the other duties he had to neglect earlier because of the zoo in his lobby. "I'll be in my office," he barked at Lauren before walking up the stairs. Lauren barely looked at him as he spoke.

Edward peeked his head in Aro's office before heading to his own. "I'm here."

"Oh…Edward…wait a moment. I need to talk to you." Aro covered the mouthpiece of the phone he was holding. "Have a seat. I'll be with you in a moment."

Edward sat in the chair in front of Aro's desk and tapped his fingers impatiently on the arm. He couldn't for the life of him figure out what Aro would need to talk to him about. He had to have seen the chaos from the lobby earlier on the monitors that lined the counter behind him. He had been on time.

Edward glanced around the sparsely decorated office. On the wall to his right hung Aro's degree from college and a few awards that he had received when he first took over the bank ten years prior. In the opposite corner of the room was a couch and a couple of chairs arranged where he had his meetings that weren't so formal with Edward and some of the other RSMs.

His desk was impeccably clean and free of clutter. The only things on it were his laptop, phone, and a family portrait. Aro sat in a very expensive looking leather chair and swiveled it back and forth as he continued to talk on the phone. He held up one finger signaling he was almost done, and Edward sighed quietly.

Aro said his goodbyes to the person on the other end of the line and turned his attention to Edward. "So…things were a little hectic downstairs for a while, huh?"

Edward stared blankly at the man in front of him. He couldn't believe he called him into his office to waste his time with idol chit chat. "Yes, sir," he answered politely.

"I know you have things to do, so I will get right to the point. It seems that you are a little short staffed in the teller department as of late, do you agree?"

Again the questions and Edward had to fight not to roll his eyes. "Yes. It seems that Janice has a sick kid, and Eric's mother is in the hospital. We are a little short staffed." Edward kept his answers short and to the point hoping that Aro would realize that he didn't want a long meeting.

"Right…right," he answered while typing something on his laptop in front of him. "I've decided to allow you to hire another teller. It looks like you could use one." Aro looked up from his computer.

"Yes."

"Okay then…get on it, Edward. That'll be all. I don't pay you the big bucks to lounge around in my chair all day."

Edward's blood boiled as he quickly got out of his seat and nearly ran to his office down the hall. He had to be mindful of not slamming the door behind him as he entered. _The nerve of that asshole!_ Edward paced the floor trying desperately to calm himself down. He went over to the cabinet next to his desk, took out a glass and the bottle of gin he kept in the hideaway drawer, and poured a tall drink. He downed it in less than three gulps before pouring another. As the alcohol burned his esophagus, he began to settle down. He put the glass and the bottle away and went over to his computer to see what he needed to do before leaving at five.

Edward immersed himself into his work as he crunched the statistics for his branch. He loved this part of his job. As he poured over the numbers pertaining to the deposit dollars and accounts sold, he realized that he was coming up short of being on top of the other branches for the Return On Quality award, or ROQ, for the prior month.

There were several factors that went into winning the prestigious award, and Edward was a fierce competitor. During his four year tenure at Pacific Coastline Bank, Edward had managed to win the award nearly every month. Everyone knew that his branch was the one to beat, and those few times he didn't win were humiliating enough that he swore that if he had to work the branch himself, he would not go down without a fight. He employed the best of the best, usually straight from college with a drive that had to match his own. The only exception to that rule was Lauren. She had the drive he desired, but her mouth pissed him off more times than he could count. She knew she had him by the balls and there was nothing he could do about it.

When Gianna, Aro's wife, informed him that he was hiring her cousin or losing his job, he knew he was screwed. When Lauren came on to him and he turned her down, Lauren and Gianna made a pact with each other to make Edward's life a living hell at the office. Sometimes they succeeded.

Gianna was a bitch. There wasn't a better word to describe her in Edward's book. She was fourteen years Aro's junior and grew up with a silver spoon in her mouth. Aro was her sugar daddy and he gave her everything she ever asked for. The woman was a foot taller than her husband with short dark hair styled in a way that made her look like Oprah Winfrey in the late 80s. It was teased in a way that it stuck out all around her head and sprayed with so much hairspray that Edward swore the woman owned stock in it. Her smile was all teeth and gums, and when she talked, she smacked her lips because she thought it was cute. In all actuality, she made Edward sick.

Edward continued to work and rework the numbers trying to make them fit into the mold he needed them to and came up empty. He slammed his fist on his desk and grunted. Another month down the toilet. He was going to have to have a meeting with his employees and tell them to step it up. He didn't like to lose.

A knock on the door broke his internal rambling. He looked up to see Gianna standing in his doorway beaming at him. "Shit," he whispered quietly to himself and a little louder said, "Yes, Gianna?"

"Edward, I need you to do something for me." She didn't wait for him to answer before continuing. "Alex is at school and I need you to pick him up for me at three."

"Isn't it Alex's _first_ day of school?"

She smiled and smacked her lips making Edward cringe.

"Would you mind if I sent Lauren to get him? I'll cover the line while she's gone."

"Yes, I do mind. I've had this appointment at the spa for nearly a week. Javier only works on Mondays and he's the only person who can give a decent massage." She paused, shifting her weight to her other foot and peering at him through narrowed eyes. "Are you suggesting I rearrange my schedule because you refuse to go get him?"

Edward looked at Gianna and couldn't believe what he had just heard. It was the first day of school for the kid, and his own parents couldn't take the fucking time to pick him up?

"Gianna, I…," Edward stopped short when he looked at Gianna playing with her nails. The sight of the woman standing there nonchalantly picking at her cuticles made him want to puke.

There was only one bright spot to working for Aro and Gianna, and that was their son, Alex. He was a bright boy with a huge heart and Edward adored him, however with the pile of work in front of him, he was in for a hell of a long night if he didn't get to it. When it came to Alex, he knew he couldn't tell him no, and he wouldn't return to the work on his desk.

Gianna's face grew stern and the smile instantly disappeared. "This is not up for question…you will pick him up at three or you will deal with my husband." She stormed away from the door and down the hallway.

"Shit…shit…shit! That fucking bitch." Edward went over to his stash again, and just before pouring another glass, he stopped himself. He had to leave in less than an hour and wasn't going to pick up the little man with alcohol on his breath. Edward put the glass and gin away and engrossed himself back into the work he was doing before he was so rudely interrupted by the white 'Oprah.'

He hated the fact that he needed this job. He hated the power he allowed Aro's wife to have over him. This was the one area in his life that he couldn't seem to manage, and to be controlled by someone like Gianna pissed him off.

Edward looked at his watch and cursed again, realizing he was going to be late picking Alex up from his school across town. Grabbing his jacket from the back of his chair, he ran down the hall to the stairs, taking two at a time and nearly running into Lauren.

"Watch where you're going, Edward," she screamed at him.

"Fuck off," he muttered as he barreled out the door.

Edward made it to his car in lightning speed and sped out of the garage, barely missing a car coming in.

Edward thought back to when his parents died and he'd gone to live with his aunt and uncle. He'd had to transfer to a new school, and every day that first week, Esme had forgotten to pick him up. He bitterly remembered how scared and alone he'd felt, even as a fourth grader. He couldn't imagine what a five-year-old would feel at being the only child left who hadn't been picked up.

As he sped through his second just-turned red light, he knew he had to get to that school as fast as possible, even if it killed him.

* * *

A/N: I am thrilled with the response I have received so far for this story. Thanks for the reviews and adds to favorites!


	6. A Pain You'll Never Forget

Chapter Five—A Pain You'll Never Forget

Bella stared mindlessly at the eggs she was cooking for Emma. Her mind was on her day yesterday and how quickly Mike had turned on her. She looked at the clock on the stove…7:30…and he _still_ wasn't home. She knew that he wasn't going to necessarily like her hairstyle, but she hadn't expected the reaction she had received from him. She didn't think that he would leave and not come home.

Emma barreled down the stairs and into the kitchen, shaking Bella from her reverie. "Mommy, is my breakfast ready? I'm hungry."

"It's almost done, sweetie. Why don't you take your seat at the table and I'll bring it out to you. Do you want apple or orange juice to go with it?" Bella looked lovingly at her daughter as she danced around the kitchen.

"Apple," she replied as she stood on the tips of her toes. "Look, Mommy, I'm a ballerina!"

"I see that," Bella replied while dishing the scrambled eggs onto Emma's princess plate.

"Okay…breakfast's ready. C'mon, little ballerina, you need to eat your breakfast so you can go to school."

Emma hopped up on her stool and hungrily dug into her food. Bella watched her for a few moments before taking a bite of her own. Before she could even swallow, she heard the front door open.

"Where are my little ladies?" Mike hollered from the living room, causing Bella to cringe. She couldn't believe that he would have the nerve to call her a little lady after the way he had treated her the night before.

Emma bounced in her seat, a wide smile spreading across her face. "In here, Daddy!"

Bella continued to silently eat her food as Mike walked into the dining room. She watched him peripherally as he bent down and gave Emma a kiss on the cheek and ruffled her curls. "Mmmm…whatcha got there, sweetie? Looks like Mommy made you a good breakfast."

Bella looked up from her plate and looked at her husband. He was grinning at their daughter and turned his attention to her. "Is there any left for me?" he asked, taking his seat at the head of the table.

Bella stared at him incredulously then got up from her seat and walked into the kitchen to grab him a plate. She couldn't believe that he was acting the way he was. It was as though nothing had happened the night before. No argument over her hair, no storming out of the house, no staying out all night. She felt as though he had taken a big broom and began to sweep their problems under the rug. She felt her heart sink as she realized that this wasn't the first time he had done this very thing.

During the first years of their marriage, Mike had spent most of his time trying to repair the damage his parents had done to the sporting goods store they had owned. Bella understood the sacrifices they had to make to rebuild the business, but she wasn't prepared for the financial struggle that came with it. Their first year of marriage was spent pinching pennies where ever they could. They watched movies instead of having cable, and ate macaroni and cheese and hot dogs more times than she cared to remember.

She recalled the arguments they'd had over whether or not she could go to the doctor for pre-natal care because of their lack of insurance and money to pay for the appointments. Most of the time she would end up in tears and later Mike would act as though they didn't have a care in the world. He would buy things "for the business" and tell her that they didn't have the money to pay the electric bill that month. Bella was forced to take a loan from her father…not an easy thing for her to do…to make ends meet.

"What's taking so long, Babe," Mike cried from the dining room, causing Bella to jump and nearly spill Mike's plate of food on the kitchen floor.

"Sorry," she mumbled quietly, placing the plate of eggs and bacon in front of her husband. She sat back down in her chair and watched as Emma finished eating her breakfast. "Emma, why don't you go upstairs and get dressed. Grab your backpack too so I can take you to school." Bella started to get up from her seat to put Emma's plate in the sink but felt Mike's hand on her arm, stopping her movement. He didn't say anything, but the look on his face told her she needed to stay where she was.

"I need to talk to you about a few things," Mike began while shoveling his breakfast in his mouth. Bella cringed as he continued to speak with food in his mouth. "We have a party to go to tonight. Do you have anything to wear?"

"I am not really feeling up to going to a party, Mike," Bella answered.

"I want you there with me. There will be some suppliers for the sporting goods store there. I need their business. How will it look if I show up without my wife? Be ready at 6pm," he stated while getting up from his chair, leaving his plate behind.

Bella sighed and took Mike's plate into the kitchen. "How fancy is the…" Bella heard the door slam behind him as he left and didn't finish her sentence. She ran her fingers through her hair in frustration. She wanted to scream out but knew that it wouldn't do anything other than alarm her daughter upstairs. Instead she decided to clean; something she loved doing when frustrated.

She heard Emma's footsteps making their way down the stairs and into the dining room. "Mommy?"

"In the kitchen, honey." Bella put the rest of the dishes in the dishwasher and started it. She looked up to find her daughter dressed in quite the outfit. She had on a pair of bright pink leggings with a lime green dress over the top of them. On her feet were her black patent leather shoes with neon orange socks. Bella held back a giggle at the sight of her loudly dressed daughter.

"Um…sweetie," she began. She didn't want to bash her daughter's creativity, but there was no way in hell she was allowing her daughter to walk out the door looking like she did. "You did such a great job picking out your clothes."

Emma beamed at her mother and twirled around causing the lime green dress to flare around her.

"I think this outfit should be saved for a very special day. What part of your outfit would you like to wear to school? Do you want to keep the pink leggings, or the green dress?" Bella looked at her daughter lovingly and silently prayed that she would go along with what she was trying to do.

Emma looked down and Bella could see the wheels in her head spinning. Her bright eyes met Bella's and she grinned. "The dress?" Emma questioned.

Bella smiled widely at her daughter. "Perfect choice. Let's go see if we can find some white tights to go with this dress. Is it okay to take the orange socks off?"

Emma nodded her head and spoke so quietly, Bella had to strain to hear her. "Can I wear the shoes?"

Never one for being a girly girl, Bella tried hard to understand and relate to her daughter who loved playing dress-up and walk around in Bella's old discarded shoes. "If you're careful on the playground, I'll let you wear them…deal?" Emma beamed at her mother and ran up the stairs with Bella following close behind.

A half-hour later, Bella dropped Emma off at school with a kiss and drove to the beauty salon in town to talk to Rosalie. Her head was still spinning after her conversation with Mike earlier that morning, and she knew that Rosalie would be a great ear to vent to.

"He did what!" Rosalie screamed as Bella told her tale from the night before. "That ass needs to go, Bella. Who gave him a crown and declared him king? You look hot, and he's just fucking jealous-excuse my French." She looked at Bella with apologetic eyes.

The woman in the chair snickered.

"Oh, shut it, Angela," snapped Rosalie, pulling at Angela's hair with a comb. "You've heard worse come out of this mouth."

"To top it off," Bella continued, "he walked in this morning like nothing had happened and told me that I needed to be ready to go to some shindig tonight. I hate these get-togethers. All I do is stand around watching the muckity-mucks from the sports distributing companies get drunk and talk about how much better their 'equipment' is compared to the other guys'." Bella used her fingers to quote the air as Angela again snorted in her chair.

Rose stopped what she was doing and looked at Bella through her mirror. Angela still had the smirk on her face and pretty soon the three of them were doubling over with laughter.

"They actually compare 'equipment?'" Rose snorted. "That's too funny…'I'll show you mine if you show me yours.'"

When they had calmed down, Angela broke the silence. "So…are you going to go?"

Bella hung her head and whispered, "Yeah." She felt a tear roll down her cheek.

"Bella…look at me." Rose's tone was serious. "Someday you are going to get sick of his shit…and when you do, I will be here for you. You aren't stuck, sweetheart. There's always a way out."

Bella left the salon feeling lighter than she had in a long time. Rose had made her laugh and forget about her boring life, even if just for a little while. They had even talked about what Bella could do with her spare time and together had decided that it might do Bella some good to get a part time job to fill up some of her day. Angela had even offered advice about where Bella could start looking, and said that she would keep her eyes and ears open for any news of opening positions.

She decided that there was no time like the present to begin looking. Bella went next door to the bookstore to grab a paper and a cup of coffee.

Bella walked through the door and looked around. She didn't know what - or more importantly who - she hoped to see, and silently prayed that she would run into the mystery man she had seen the day before. Her heart raced as she turned her head to the chair he had been sitting in. Seeing it was empty, she let out the breath she didn't know she was holding and walked to the counter to order her coffee.

The girl behind the counter was chatting non-stop about a customer she'd had the day before and how rude he was. Bella cleared her throat to get the girl's attention. "I'm sorry," the girl said. "What can I get for you?"

"I'll have a skinny double-shot mocha, please."

"Coming right up," the girl answered and then continued her conversation with her coworker.

After paying for her coffee and finding a local newspaper, Bella sat in a chair near the window of the bookstore so that she could read and people-watch. She quickly scanned the employment section in the classifieds, hoping to find a job that she would be able to work into Emma's school schedule.

Bella sighed deeply as she realized there weren't many part-time positions that didn't involve working weekends and/or evenings. She closed the paper and took a sip of her coffee while looking out the window. The street outside was quiet with only a few people walking in and out of the bank across the street. Looking down at her watch, she decided that she better go and find something to wear to the party that Mike insisted she attend. Most of the clothes in her closet consisted of jeans and sweatpants, articles that Mike despised but Bella insisted on keeping for their comfort when dealing with their child.

As she was walking out of the bookstore, she happened to glance at the bank and her breath caught in her throat. Mystery man was walking out, his cell phone attached to his ear. Bella could tell he was in a heated conversation with someone, but couldn't make out what he was saying. Bella felt her pulse race as she tried to gain control of herself. Never in her life had not needing the presence of a man affected her the way this one did. Beyond his good looks, Bella noticed a confident air in the way he walked and talked on his phone. She didn't know where he was going, but he walked with purpose, and whomever he was talking to was getting a solid tongue lashing from the gorgeous man. Bella shook her head to clear it and walked in the opposite direction. _Get a hold of yourself, _she thought.

Bella looked at her reflection one last time. The dress she had found was simply cut. It landed just above her knees in the front, but dipped lower in the back. She had decided to take off the removable straps that came with the dress to make it a little dressier. She paired it with some black strappy heels that were accented with rhinestones across the top. To finish her ensemble, she bought a red lacey shawl to drape over her shoulders.

Her hair had been a problem for her. Since cutting so much of the length off, it wasn't easy for Bella to put it up the way she knew Mike liked. She decided to pull the sides back, securing them with pins. _This will have to do._

The doorbell rang and she heard Emma run down the stairs to answer the door. "Ask who it is first, Emma," Bella reminded her daughter.

"Jenny!" Bella heard Emma scream as she walked down the stairs.

Bella greeted Jenny with a smile and put her hand on her daughter's head to stop her from jumping. "Somebody's excited to see you, Jenny."

"I guess so," Jenny replied while picking Emma up. Bella watched as Jenny placed a kiss on Emma's cheek.

Jenny Martin was ten years old when she and her family moved next door. Bella took a liking to her right away. She was fun loving and full of energy, and she was the little sister Bella always wanted but never had. She was very tall for her age, standing nearly 5 foot 8 inches tall. She played every sport available to her at school, volleyball being her favorite. She was a pretty girl with an olive complexion and green eyes. Her hair was shoulder length and naturally curly, a trait that Jenny hated but Bella thought was absolutely beautiful.

"So…where are you going tonight?" Jenny asked, shaking Bella from her reverie.

"It's a gathering of sporting goods dealers," Bella replied while sticking her finger in her open mouth as if to gag herself.

Jenny laughed, "Don't want to go, huh?"

"Ugh…no. All I'll be doing is standing in a corner watching all of the men talk about their equipment and why Mike should sell it in his store. They'll be drinking and by the end of the evening, they'll be sloshy drunk." Bella looked at Jenny pointedly. "Not MY idea of fun."

"Well, WE are going to have fun!" Jenny tickled Emma's sides until she squirmed out of her arms. She looked around the room and wrinkled her brow in confusion. "Where's Mike?"

Bella looked at her watch…5:30. "I don't know. The party starts at 6:00. Maybe he got held up at the store."

Bella grabbed her cell phone and dialed the store. It rang four times and the answering machine picked up. Bella huffed in frustration and dialed Mike's number next. It rang two times before an out-of-breath Mike answered, "Hello?"

"Mike, where are you? We need to be at the party in thirty minutes."

"I'm at the store, Bella. Are you ready?" he panted, clearly trying to regain his breath.

"I called the store…you didn't answer. Have you been running? You're all out of breath."

"Umm…no, I was…um," Mike stammered and suddenly Bella had a bad feeling deep in her gut.

"Never mind. When are you going to be here to get me? Jenny's here to watch Emma and I'm waiting on you."

"Why don't you meet me there? You know where it is, right?"

_Are you kidding me?_ Bella thought, as her stomach began feel like it was doing flips.

"Yes, I know where it is. I thought we were going together." Bella answered through clenched teeth as tears threatened to spill.

"I'll meet you there. Gotta go…locking up the store."

The line went dead and Bella closed her phone. She looked up to see Jenny staring at her with sad eyes. "Are you alright?" she asked quietly.

Bella sniffed. "Yeah…I'll just meet him there."

She walked over to the door and before she could leave, she felt Jenny's arms wrap around her. "You deserve so much better, Bella," Jenny whispered in her ear.

"You aren't the first one to say that today." Bella took a deep breath to compose herself before walking out the door.

Bella shivered as she waited outside the party venue. The doors were open and various people, some she recognized, some she didn't, made their way through the doors to the warmth inside. She looked at her watch and sighed. 6:30, and still no sign of Mike anywhere. Bella took one last look around the parking lot and decided she might as well get warm inside. Mike would have to find her.

She walked up to the doorman who put his hand up to stop her from entering.

"Name, please?"

"Bella Newton?" Bella questioned, staring at the man in front of her. She didn't realize this was an event that required that you have an invitation.

The man looked at his clipboard and shook his head. "I don't see you on this list. What is the name of the business you're representing?"

"Newton's Sporting Goods," Bella whispered quietly. She felt her cheeks flame red with embarrassment. If Mike had been with her like he was supposed to have been, she wouldn't be facing this problem now.

"Ah…here it is. You name isn't under the list of employees…you said your name was Newton?"

Bella's face flamed hotter. "Yes," she replied through clenched teeth.

"Well, I'm not supposed to do this, but I am going to be nice and let you in. Your…umm," he paused not knowing what relation she was to the owner of her store.

"Husband."

"Right…he's coming to the party too?"

"Yes."

"Alright then, go ahead." The man unhooked the velvet rope from its stand and let Bella pass, hooking it back behind her.

She walked through the open doors and into the large room. A bar was on her right, and as she walked through the door, a man holding a tray with several different cocktails smiled at her and held out his tray. "Would you care for a drink?"

Bella smiled at the man and decided that one drink wouldn't impair her enough to drive if she drank it now. She grabbed what she hoped was a cosmopolitan and took a sip. "Thank you." The man smiled at her again and began walking around the room calling "Cocktail?" every time he passed someone.

Bella scanned the room. It was huge. The walls were at least 20 feet high. They were painted a light grey color with brown accents. On the wall to her left were the words "Sweet Sugar" printed backwards in large letters. Bella wrinkled her brow in confusion until she noticed that there was a large mirror behind the bar. If you looked at the words through the mirror, you could read the words perfectly. The phrase still didn't make sense to her, but it was an interesting concept to add to the room.

In front of her was a balcony with several people leaning over the ledge looking at the crowd below. Thumping music played through the speakers that were hidden throughout the room.

Bella found a corner and sat down. It was a perfect area to watch the door for Mike, as well as observe the people around her. Bella took a sip of her cocktail and scanned the room. She recognized a few faces, but didn't feel that she knew any of the people well enough to just walk over to and strike up a conversation with them. Bella had always been a little intimidated in crowd situations. She would rather stand to the side and let people come to her than to go out and mingle on her own.

Loud laughter coming from the front door caught Bella's attention. Coming through the doorway was Mike, but he wasn't alone. Standing next to him was a woman that grabbed Mike's arm and was laughing at something Mike had obviously said. The knots in Bella's stomach twisted as she watched her husband guide the woman through the door with his hand on the small of her back.

Bella stood up and walked over to Mike and the woman. She felt as though she might lose what little she had in her stomach as she watched the woman continue to laugh uncontrollably at him.

"Hello, Bella," Mike greeted her while taking the woman's hand off his arm. "I'd like you to meet Jessica Stanley."

Bella politely nodded her head at Jessica. Jessica looked at Bella and smirked while holding out her hand, "It's nice to meet you, Bella."

"Jessica had to park a few blocks away, so I picked her up and brought her here. Look at those shoes she's wearing. She would have never made it!" Bella continued to stare at her husband as she tried to process the lame excuse he had just given her.

"Thanks for the ride, Mikey! I'll catch you later." Jessica smiled widely at Mike and glared at Bella before she walked away.

"Where have you been? It's nearly 7:00!" Bella complained. She tried to rein in her anger but found that her voice was getting louder with each syllable.

Mike grabbed her arm roughly and took her over to a nearby table. "I told you I had to lock up the store. I went by the house to pick up a few things and got caught up talking to Emma."

"That was over an hour ago, Mike," Bella argued.

"Look…If you're going to bitch at me all night, you may as well go home. I have some people that I need to talk to and I don't need to be worrying about your insecurities right now. I'd like to have a good time and right now you are a serious buzz kill," Mike scowled.

"I'm sorry," Bella apologized. "I just don't like waiting here by myself when I don't know anyone around me. You took longer than I thought you should have and I was angry. Then to see you walk in with another woman caught me off guard too. You two looked a little chummy."

"I told you I picked her up so she didn't have to walk in her shoes. Nothing is going on between us." Mike moved into Bella's personal space and put his arms around her. He kissed the top of her head and whispered, "I love you, Baby."

Bella sighed, deciding to let the matter rest, and returned Mike's embrace. "I love you too."

Bella spent the next hour and a half walking around the room with Mike as he talked to various vendors about his business. She was bored beyond belief and found it difficult to keep the fake smile plastered to her face as her husband introduced her to people she had no interest in knowing. She knew she was being shallow, but she couldn't see herself having anything in common with any of the people Mike tried to get her to talk to. This was Mike's world…not hers. She had never felt so alone in a sea of people in her entire life.

The party was scheduled to end at midnight and at eleven-thirty was still going strong. It seemed that as long as the liquor was flowing, the people were staying. Some had even decided to create a make-shift dance floor in front of the bar and started dancing. Bella sat alone at a corner table watching the couples in front of her bump and grind to the music. Mike had left her at the spot, promising that he would only be gone a few minutes…that was thirty minutes ago.

Bella took a drink of her water, having finished her one cocktail within the first ten minutes of her arrival, and looked up to see Jessica coming toward her.

"Why are you sitting her all alone?" she asked.

"Crowds really aren't my thing," Bella answered simply.

"That's nice," she answered, obviously not hearing Bella's reply. Jessica gave Bella a fake smile and sauntered away from Bella's table without another word.

"Hmmph," Bella huffed to herself, shaking her head in disbelief. "She's a piece of work."

After sitting alone for nearly a half-hour, Bella decided to get up to find Mike and tell him she was going home. It was obvious to her that Mike didn't need her there, and quite frankly, she didn't feel like being a wall-flower any longer. Bella meandered her way through the throng of people trying to see if she could find her husband in the crowd. Looking up toward the balcony, she spotted him. Once again Jessica had found her way to Mike's side as she whispered something in his ear that made him laugh. Bella sighed in frustration and tried not to let the little ache in her stomach grow. She found the stairs leading to the balcony at the back of the room and made her way to the second floor.

As Bella approached her husband she heard Jessica say, "You won't be able to keep a straight face the next time someone asks if that hammock sleeps two, will you?" She laughed heartily and threw her head back.

_What the…?_

Bella cleared her throat and Mike and Jessica turned around. Jessica's hand immediately dropped from Mike's forearm and Bella looked at her while she spoke to her husband.

"I'm going to go home. It's nearly midnight…isn't that when this party ends?"

"It doesn't look like it's ending any time soon," Mike replied as he rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "I'll see you at home."

Bella looked at Jessica and Mike before turning on her heels and walking back down the stairs. Something was up with those two…her gut told her so…but her heart didn't want to believe it.

After sending Jenny home with $20 and a hug, Bella got ready for bed and crawled under the covers. Her mind was working overtime with all of the thoughts of Mike and Jessica, and she just wanted to escape her feelings of insecurity and sleep.

Her mind was in a haze when she felt Mike get into bed sometime after two in the morning. She started to go to back to sleep but Mike had other ideas. She feigned sleep as she felt him press into her backside, his erection poking her. His hand snaked around her middle and slowly worked under her tank top. He groped her breast, kneading it roughly as he tried to wake her up.

Bella continued to ignore his advances, hoping against all hopes that he would stop what he was doing and allow her to sleep. She knew that he wouldn't stop until he had what he wanted, and the idea of making love to him made her sick. There was never any romance or foreplay. Mike always woke her up in the middle of the night. There had been times where she had been in a deep sleep and awoke to find his hand down her shorts playing with her clit. By the time she had fully woken up, her body was so turned on that she would ignore what her mind told her and listen to her body.

Bella tried to roll away from her husband while mumbling, "Please let me sleep."

"C'mon, Baby," he cooed while moving his hands to the waistband of her shorts, "I've saved lots of kisses for you."

"Mike…," Bella pleaded as she tried to will herself back to sleep, "not tonight, please."

"Please, Baby, you won't regret it." Mike kissed Bella's shoulder blades causing an involuntary shiver to run through her. "See? You want it….Baby…," Mike begged while his fingers moved to her sex.

Bella's body was responding to his touch regardless of the fact that her mind was screaming 'no.' After the way he had treated her the past couple of days, she needed a release of some kind, and Mike was never selfish in this particular area of their relationship. He pleased her physically, even if he shot her down emotionally and made her feel like less than a woman. He knew how to make her feel like a queen in the bedroom.

Once again, she let her body speak instead of listening to her brain.


	7. A Lil' Bit Heaven 'n A Whole Lot o' Hell

_Previously, in Edward's story, we learned that he was orphaned at the tender age of nine when his father and mother were shot while getting milk from a local convenience store. His mother's brother and his wife raised him in their home along with their son, Emmett. Edward is a bitter man who tends to drink too much and uses women for his own pleasure without putting any feeling behind it. After drinking too heavily, he finds himself in bed with a stranger whose name he doesn't care to know. _

_Edward works for Aro Morgan at Pacific Coastline Bank where he is a Retail Service Manager. Edward runs a tight ship and expects his employees to keep his branch at the top. He is short staffed and Aro decides to allow Edward to hire another teller to help on the line. Aro's wife, Gianna, is a self-centered, egotistical bitch, in Edward's opinion, who has forced him to keep her cousin, Lauren, on his staff. The two of them make his life a living hell every chance they get._

_Gianna informs Edward that she would be unable to pick up her son, Alex, from his first day of school because of an appointment at a prestigious spa. Incensed, Edward agrees to pick up the boy, but soon realizes after getting involved in crunching numbers, that he is running a little late…_

Chapter Six-A Little Bit of Heaven and A Whole Lot of Hell

Edward raced into the school parking lot at 3:05, cursing under his breath. He hated being late for anything, but most of all hated the fact that Alex had to wait for him when it should have been his mother picking him up. Edward quickly got out of his car and ran to the doors of the school.

He sprinted up to the nearest person he saw, not knowing where he needed to be. "Alex Morgan?"

The small black-haired woman looked at him and narrowed her eyes. "And you are?"

"Edward Masen."

The woman continued to look at him, and Edward's temper began to flare. He peered over the woman's head, searching for Alex in the hallway, and began to walk down the hall, looking in the classrooms as he went.

"Excuse me, Mr. Masen," the woman yelled. Edward continued down the corridor, ignoring the woman running up behind him. The pixie-like woman grabbed Edward's arm, stopping him in his tracks.

"Get your hands off me," he seethed. Edward knew he needed to get his temper in check before seeing Alex, but there was something about this woman that had him seeing red. The woman dropped her hand and cleared her throat. Edward was amazed at the tenacity of the woman standing in front of him.

"You are not allowed to just waltz in here demanding to pick up a child without going through the proper channels first," she said sternly. "Now…if you would like to follow me, I'll take you to the office, where we'll see if you can even take Alex with you." She turned quickly on her heel and started walking down the hall, not waiting to see if Edward was following. She stopped at the door marked 'office' and held it open for him.

Alex was sitting in one of the chairs that lined the wall opposite a long counter, and his eyes went wide when he saw Edward walk through the door. "Edward!" The boy literally flew off the seat and jumped into Edward's arms.

"How ya doin', Sport? Sorry I'm late." Edward rustled Alex's hair and stared pointedly at the small woman near the counter.

Ignoring Edward, the woman spoke quietly to the receptionist behind the desk.

"Excuse me, Miss?"

"Mrs. Whitlock." She punctuated the 'missus' and turned to look at Edward.

"Right…look, can I leave? It's obvious that Alex knows who I am." Edward tried to soften his voice but found he couldn't take the sarcasm out of it. She didn't answer him, instead turning her attention back to the receptionist who had handed her a folder.

"We have certain protocol that we have to follow, Mr. Masen," she explained, while opening the folder and skimming through the papers within it. "I have to make sure your name is on the list of people that are authorized by Alex's parents to pick him up."

"Oh, for the love of Christ!" Edward muttered under his breath. Alex listened to the exchange between the two adults and was wise enough to keep his mouth shut. Edward gave the boy's head another tousle and waited for Mrs. Whitlock to find the paper she was looking for.

"Well…Mr. Masen," she smirked as she looked up from the file in her hands. "It looks like I'll have to give Mr. or Mrs. Morgan a call. Your name isn't on the form."

Edward could feel the vein on the side of his head pulsing as his anger reached an all-time limit. He put Alex on the floor and smiled at him. "Alex, I need you to wait outside the door for me, okay?" Alex's eyes grew wide but he still complied with Edward's demand and walked out the door.

As soon as the door shut, Edward faced the woman in front of him. "Look, Mrs. Whitlock," he began, his voice dripping with venom. "I was sent here by his goddamn mother who couldn't see fit to pick the boy up because she had an appointment at a spa that couldn't be rescheduled. His father, I can assure you, is in a meeting and can't be disturbed…so unless there is another name on that fucking paper you have in your hands that you can call to waste my fucking time, I'm taking Alex home."

Edward watched Mrs. Whitlock's expression change from smug, as it was earlier, to one of rage. She put the file on the counter next to her, took a few deep breaths and walked over and stood directly in front of Edward. He looked down at her as she raised her hand and pointed at the center of his chest, just shy of poking him.

"Never…in my 26 years…have I ever wanted to hit a person like I want to hit you." Her finger got closer to his chest, forcing Edward to take a step back. "You," she paused, "are an arrogant, foul-mouthed man. If you think I'm going to let that child leave with you without talking to his parents first, you thought wrong." Mrs. Whitlock turned her attention to the shocked receptionist and asked her to dial Aro's phone number at the bank.

Edward stared incredulously at the woman in front of him. He looked at the window and watched as Alex was oblivious to the conversation the two of them were having. He was sitting on the floor of the hallway with a piece of paper and a few crayons drawing a picture that Edward couldn't make out. As he drew, his tongue would stick out as the boy concentrated on what he was coloring. Edward couldn't help but smile at how absorbed Alex was in what he was doing. It reminded him of when he was younger and used to sit at his mother's table, coloring with her for hours.

"…Yes…okay, Mr. Morgan…" Mrs. Whitlock's eyes narrowed while looking at Edward. "I'm sorry to have disturbed you…yes, I will add him…okay…good bye."

"I'll be taking him now, yes?" Edward smirked at Mrs. Whitlock while she wrote his name on the paper in Alex's file.

"Looks that way," Mrs. Whitlock resigned. She closed the file and handed it back to the receptionist.

Without saying another word, Edward opened the door and walked out of the office. "You ready to go, Sport?" Alex looked at him with questions in his eyes and nodded his head.

_This boy is too perceptive for his own good._

"C'mon, everything's been worked out with Mrs. Whitlock." Edward held out his hand and helped Alex stand. Leaving the mess on the floor, they walked out the front doors of the school.

Edward sat on the park bench as he watched Alex play on the jungle gym in front of him. There were children everywhere, running around and screaming at the top of their lungs, but somehow Edward didn't seem to mind the chaos of the playground. There were mothers watching their children go down the slide and some that obviously didn't feel that a playground could be a dangerous place as they were too busy reading a book to notice that their child could wander off with anyone walking by.

He allowed his thoughts to drift back to a time when his mother had thought she had lost him. Edward was only six years old, but he could remember the frantic look on his mother's face when she finally found him. He had been playing on a slide at a large park near their home and decided that he wanted to go to the swings at the other end of the park. He looked over at his mother and noticed that she was talking to a woman he had seen in their neighborhood. Without a second thought, he ran over to the swings and hopped on. From where he was swinging he could no longer see his mother, and he was enjoying the thrill of the momentum that he didn't hear his mother calling his name. He was giggling as the swing went higher and higher with every pump of his legs. The loud shrill of his mother's voice caught his attention and he quickly used his feet to stop the swing. He saw his mother in the distance looking to and fro with a panicked look on her face. When her eyes met his, the relief that spread across her features caused his heart to break. His mother ran to him, scooping him up in her arms, while she cried and scolded him at the same time for running off.

"Are you okay, Edward?" Alex touched Edward's arm, causing him to jump. "Your face is all scrunched up."

Edward forced a smile and patted the boy's head lovingly. "I'm fine, Sport. You ready to go home?" Edward looked at his watch…5:00pm…it was amazing to him how quickly time passed when he spent it with Alex. He could watch him for hours.

Edward was a completely different person when he was around his boss's son. It seemed the rough exterior that he had so carefully put up over the years would melt away when he was around him. Alex reminded him of himself as a boy. In spite of the fact that his parents were far too busy to take care of Alex on their own, Edward honestly didn't mind having to pick him up from school. Other than dealing with Mrs. Whitlock, it had been a nice afternoon. Spending time with Alex had enabled him to let go of the troubles at work and had allowed him to relax…something he had needed to do for a long time.

He took Alex's hand and guided him across the street to the car. As he was helping him buckle into the seat, Alex looked at him and smiled. "Thank you for taking me to the park."

"You're welcome. Maybe we can do it again soon."

"Tomorrow?" Alex questioned immediately.

Edward shook his head. "I don't think so, but I promise we'll come up with a time soon, okay?"

Alex beamed at him as Edward closed the door and walked around his car to the driver's side. He was definitely going to have to make some time for the little boy in the back seat of his car. Alex needed it as much as he did.

A half hour later, Edward arrived at the Morgan house. As he pulled into the circular drive, he looked in his rear view mirror. Alex was asleep with his head leaning against the door in an awkward position. He couldn't help but smile as the boy took a ragged breath and slowly began to wake up.

"Hey, Sport," Edward whispered, "we're here."

Alex sat up and gently rubbed his eyes. Edward watched as he slowly woke up from an obviously deep slumber to look at his surroundings.

Just as Edward opened his door, the main entrance to the house flew open. "Edward! Good God! It's been four hours! Haven't you ever heard of a telephone?" Gianna ran across the pavement toward him as she screamed at the top of her lungs. "I was worried sick!"

"Sure you were," he huffed under his breath.

"Excuse me?" she questioned as she reached into the car to retrieve her son.

"Nothing."

"Next time I ask you to pick Alex up, I expect a phone call if you're going to be any later than four o'clock."

"Were you home at four?" Edward seethed, knowing there was no way in hell she had made it home from her spa appointment before five.

"Not your concern," she rebuked. She placed Alex on his feet and turned to face Edward. "Go inside, Alex, dinner's ready." Her eyes never left Edward's as she spoke, and the boy looked at Edward and gave him a soft smile before doing as he was told.

"Look, if you hadn't been so concerned with your goddamn spa appointment, you could've picked Alex up yourself. It sure as hell would have saved me the hassle of dealing with that witch of a teacher at the school. Next time you need someone to pick up Alex, you better make sure the person's fucking name is on the list." Without saying another word, Edward got into his car and sped away, leaving a gawking Gianna in his dust.

Edward cursed under his breath. God! That woman got under his skin. He knew he would hear about his little tirade the next morning, but he didn't care at the moment. In his mind, there was nothing worse than a mother who couldn't make time for her own child. Gianna was a selfish bitch and didn't deserve to have a child as sweet as Alex. It was amazing to Edward how good that little boy was. It certainly wasn't because of the care he got from his parents. Edward knew first-hand who raised the little boy. There were round-the-clock nannies that took care of that in the Morgan household. Just the thought made his stomach churn.

Edward had his fair share of nannies after he had moved in with his uncle and aunt. As he looked back, he could remember the one nanny that had been there when he first arrived at his new home. She was a plump woman, and Edward remembered how lovingly she had held him the first night he arrived at the house.

Edward's new room had been directly across the hall from Emmett's. When he'd arrived, the cheerful woman led him up the stairs to his room, pointing to the doors as they passed them.

"This is the bathroom…you and Emmett will be sharing that one…I expect you boys to keep it clean, I may be responsible for you, but I am not your maid. You will learn how to clean up after yourself, do I make myself clear?" She looked at Edward waiting for an answer. He nodded his head without saying a word.

They passed more doors as they continued down the long hallway before she came to a stop at the one leading to Edward's room. "Emmett's room is right over there," she said pointing to the opposite door. A large sign hung on the wooden entrance that read "BEWARE OF THE MONSTER INSIDE" in large black letters. Edward's eyes widened and the plump woman chuckled at his response.

"There are no monster in there, Edward, that's just Emmett's way of keeping people out."

She opened the door to Edward's room and gently nudged him inside.

The room was bare except for a twin bed and a wooden dresser. The walls were blank and painted a stark white. A shade was hung on the window that looked out into the backyard. There weren't any curtains…no warmth to the room at all. Edward shuttered and the tears began to silently fall down his cheeks.

"Oh, sweetie," the nanny crooned, "everything's goin' to be okay. You'll see. Katy'll make it alright." She sat Edward's suitcase on the floor and gently embraced him. She felt soft and warm, and her hug was full of love. She shh'd him softly as he cried into her bosom.

Edward didn't remember how long she had held him that night; he just knew that it had felt good at the time to let it out. Katy had been a life preserver during a difficult time in his life. When she left two years later, the anger returned. He was never told the reason why…just that she had to go.

His cell phone buzzed in his pocket and, without looking at the caller ID, he answered, "Masen."

"Yo, cous!" Emmett's voice boomed on the other end of the line.

"Yes, Emmett," Edward sighed, wondering what crazy antic Emmett had up his sleeve.

"Get your ass over to The Rock, man! We have some partying to do!"

"Emmett, it's only seven o'clock. Isn't it a little early to be partying?" Edward listened to the background noise of the popular night club. It seemed that every night was party night for his cousin. It didn't matter if it was Monday, Wednesday, or Friday…seven in the evening or seven in the morning…Emmett could find a party anywhere at any time.

"Shit, dude," Emmett screamed into the phone, causing Edward to wince. "It's ladies night tonight! You should see all the hotties here! Don't bother going home to change, just come as you are…I'll be waiting for you!" Edward heard some muffled talking and soon the line went dead.

"Fuck," Edward cursed as he turned down the road leading to his house. Despite what Emmett had said about not needing to change, he was not going to go to the bar in a suit and tie. He had to smile as he realized that he had never been able to turn away from a possible easy lay, and something told him that bar would be full of them tonight.

The music was already blasting by the time that Edward arrived at nearly 9 o'clock. There were women at every corner of the place; he definitely would have his pickings tonight. Emmett was at the far end of the bar with a gorgeous blonde hanging on his every word. Edward watched the woman as her head went back as she laughed at something Emmett had said. Emmett looked up and locked eyes with Edward.

"Cous!" his voice bellowed over the music, and Emmett waved him over to where he and the blonde were standing. Edward gently pushed his way through the crowd of people, saying nothing as he bumped into a few women on the way.

When Edward reached Emmett, he couldn't help but ogle the woman that was standing next to him. She was model beautiful with long blond hair and blue eyes. Her lips were full and pouty and she had a confident air about her that radiated from her pores. Edward allowed his eyes to travel south and take in her full breasts. She was dressed to kill, but he noticed that she wasn't skanky like the other bitches Emmett had hooked up with in the past…no…she was a class act. She was wearing a form fitting lace tank top paired with jeans that hugged her curves nicely. Her long legs looked even longer with the stilettos she was wearing.

Emmett punched Edward's shoulder. "Dude…do you mind?" he whispered, then a little louder said, "Edward…this is Rosalie. Rosalie, my cousin, Edward."

Rosalie held out her hand and smirked at him. "Nice to meet you, Edward. Emmett has told me so much about you."

"All good I hope," Edward clarified and he shook her hand. He looked over at Emmett who merely shrugged his shoulders.

"Mmhmm. If you'll excuse me for a minute, I need to find the ladies room." Edward watched as Rosalie meandered through the throngs of people back to the other end of the room.

Emmett punched Edward in the shoulder again to get his attention. Edward looked at his cousin, and the look on his face said it all. That woman was his, and Edward had better keep his hands off. Edward raised his arms in surrender and said, "I get it man…stay away."

"She's the blonde I was telling you about the other night. I didn't expect to see her here tonight and when I walked in, it was like a magnet led me straight to her, man. Weird kismet thing…I swear to God, Eddie, no woman has EVER affected me like this one has."

"She's something," Edward answered. "She looks like she could rip your head off if you crossed her."

"She acts tough…but underneath all that exterior is all woman. She rocks my world." Emmett shook his head. "Scares the shit out of me," he whispered.

Edward patted his cousin's shoulder and shook his head, "Better you than me, Cous…better you than me."

Two hours later, they were still going strong. Edward was in awe of Rosalie and her drinking abilities. He knew that Emmett was three sheets to the wind, but yet Rosalie looked as though she hadn't had an ounce. The loud music made Edward's head ache and the whiny-voiced bitch that hung on his arm wasn't helping any either. He was now seeing things through rose colored glasses and even though the woman standing next to him was no Rosalie, he was still going to do her before the night was over.

Edward looked out onto the dance floor and spotted Emmett swaying rather drunkenly to the music. Rosalie's head rested on Emmett's strong chest and Edward chuckled as he watched Emmett's hand not-so-casually grab her ass. She didn't slap his hand away, just merely moved it to the small of her back. They played the hands on ass game for a couple of songs before the woman next to Edward got his attention by tugging on his arm.

"So…," she stammered while batting her eyes, "are we going to go back to your place or mine?"

_This is just way too fucking easy._

Edward flashed her his best lopsided smile and said, "Mine." She giggled and hung her head as she blushed.

_Don't play shy now, you're the one that asked which place, sweetie._

"Wait here," Edward commanded. He walked out onto the dance floor and tapped Rosalie's shoulder

"I'm leaving…can you handle him?" Edward pointed at Emmett. Emmett mumbled something incoherent and Edward had to help her get him to a chair before he fell over.

"I'm fine…f-f-f-fine," Emmett slurred.

"I'll get one of the guys to help me carry him out," she chuckled, "he's going to be one hurting unit tomorrow."

Edward couldn't help but stare wide-mouthed at the woman in front of him. She was a match made in heaven for his cousin. Not only was she beautiful, but it seemed that she was more than capable of handling the big oaf that sat swaggering on the bar stool.

"You alright there, Em?" Edward barely touched Emmett's shoulder and soon his cousin was sprawled out on the floor. Rosalie and Edward looked at each other and started to laugh. A couple of bouncers made their way through the crowd to help Rosalie carry a much too inebriated Emmett to the cab waiting outside.

"I'll bring him back to get his car tomorrow," Rosalie yelled over her shoulder. "It was nice meeting you, Edward."

"You too," Edward answered back. He turned around, grabbed the hand of the woman next to him and roughly pulled her through the people. "Come on, we've got some business to attend to."

Edward laid on his bed while the woman, whose name he didn't even know, sucked on his dick. Her mouth was wet as she slurped and slobbered her way up and down his shaft. The sound of her smacking seemed to distract him from the business at hand, and he soon found that he was losing his erection. He wanted so badly to bust a nut, but knew that if she kept making the noises she was, he was going to lose the hard-on he was trying so desperately to hold on to.

"C'mere," he beckoned as the girl took one last noisy lick and looked at Edward through hooded eyes.

_I hope she fucks better than she sucks dick._

Edward quickly turned her over to her back and while he kissed and sucked her breasts, did everything in his power to get his dick hard again. She was moaning and sounded more like a cat in heat, than a woman experiencing what was supposed to be pleasure. Edward sighed deeply and stopped what he was doing.

"This isn't going to work…you need to leave." Edward sat on the edge of the bed and ran his fingers through his hair. It looked like he wasn't going to get any tonight. He couldn't get past the sounds this woman made.

"What's the problem?" she asked in her squeaky voice.

"You need to leave…NOW." Edward was through being nice. He wanted the bitch out of his room and out of his house, and she couldn't leave fast enough.

"What's the matter, can't keep it up?" she snickered as she looked at Edward's groin that had definitely deflated.

"You have thirty seconds to get the fuck out of my house. I am not even going to answer that question. When was the last time you fucked anyone? Do you know how to give head?…Because from what I just experienced…you need some more practice." Edward watched her expression change from smug to incensed in a few seconds as she bounced off the bed and started to gather her clothes. "You might want to try a little less slurping next time, Sweetheart, that noise would cause any dick to go soft."

She choked back a sob and quickly got dressed. Edward was relentless. "What was that sound you were making when I was sucking on your tits? You might want to work on your moans too."

"You. Are. Cruel," she sobbed as the door slammed behind her.

Edward leaned back against his headboard and began stroking himself. There was more than one way to get his rocks off. It just looked like tonight he was going to have to do it on his own.


	8. A Lie Is Still a Lie

**A/N: I am on vacation, and thought that I would get this posted for you! Aren't I sweet? I want to thank all of those that have reviewed and added me to favorites. I should have the next chapter up soon (working on that now...even on vacation!) Normally this would have been BPOV, but I had a reviewer ask some questions that I felt needed answered. She will be next!**

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Chapter Seven—A Lie is Still a Lie

Edward woke the next morning and rubbed his eyes. He couldn't believe he had actually thought that he could have a normal sexual encounter with anyone of the opposite sex. The woman he had attempted to share his bed with had turned him off completely with her loud noises and squeaky voice.

He remembered how he had felt as he watched Rosalie and Emmett interact and had wondered why he couldn't have that kind of connection too. Rosalie was the complete package. She was beautiful, with her long blonde hair and legs that didn't seem to stop, but the one thing that made her the most attractive to Edward was her wit. She was a smart cookie. She was bright and wasn't afraid to tell you what she thought. Rosalie didn't just talk to hear her voice; she definitely said what was on her mind, unlike the women that Edward had been with in the past. Seeing Rosalie with Emmett had made Edward believe that maybe…just maybe…there was a woman out there with the beauty and intelligence that Edward would find appealing. Emmett was a lucky son of a bitch.

What Emmett and Rosalie had was a fire that you could physically feel coursing between the couple. They genuinely cared for each other. Seeing that kind of connection had clouded Edward's judgment and he had allowed the woman he had taken home to put her sloppy lips on his cock. Just remembering it made him shiver.

_Never again,_ he thought to himself as he stretched his legs before getting out of bed.

Edward made his way to the bathroom to relieve his full bladder and prepare for his day at work. He had a million things to do; the first was to find someone that could fill in for the lack of help he had on teller row. As the hot water cascaded down his body, he let the tension from the night before leave him. A serious relationship wasn't in the cards for him, and that was something that he would have to accept. The walls were up around his heart and he wouldn't make the same mistake twice.

Half an hour later, Edward had arrived at work ready to face another day. As soon as he walked through the door, Lauren accosted him in the lobby demanding help for teller row. "I don't have a problem talking to Gianna, Edward," she threatened. "Either you get me some help, and soon, or I will be forced to go to her." She grinned cheekily at Edward and dared him to speak.

Edward stood tall and glared at the woman in front of him. He stepped forward, forcing her to move back, and lowered his voice as he spoke to her. "Talking to Gianna is no threat to me, Lauren," he seethed, his voice dripping with venom. "I am still your boss, whether you like it or not. You are not above being fired, and let me tell you, one more act of insubordination, and you will find your ass on the street. You got me?"

Lauren huffed indignantly and stormed away from Edward. He took a deep cleansing breath and walked toward the stairs. Just as he was about to walk up, Angela's voice stopped him. "Excuse me, Mr. Masen, may I have a word with you?"

"Sure, Angela, what can I do for you?" If Edward were going to have favorites, it would be Angela. She was kind, genuine, and unfortunately for Edward, very taken. She was a hard worker and was always striving to do her best at her job and was willing to go the extra mile when Edward needed her to. Angela didn't complain, like the other employees he had, and that was refreshing.

If Edward had a type, it would be a woman like Angela. Her personality matched her looks; soft and womanly. She had dark chestnut hair that hung just above her shoulders, but was long enough to run fingers through during the heat of the moment. Edward shook his head to clear his thoughts before paying attention to Angela.

_Taken…Edward…taken._

"I've heard a rumor," she began as she played with a stray strand of her hair. Edward could tell she was uncomfortable talking with him, and wanted to put her mind at ease immediately.

"Oh? What rumor is that?" he replied while smiling at her.

"Is it true that you are going to be looking for someone to help us out on teller row?" Her face flushed pink as the last words came out in barely a whisper.

"Yes, that's true." Edward didn't like office gossip, but appreciated the fact that Angela came to him to find out about it instead of letting the rumor mill run its course.

"I know of someone that is looking for a job. Would it be okay if I contacted her to let her know we were hiring?"

"An ad will be in tomorrow's paper, Angela. If your friend is interested she can contact me after the ad has run." Edward gave her a smile before dismissing her by walking up the stairs.

"Thanks, Mr. Masen," she called after him, "I'll let her know."

Edward waved his hand in the air without turning around to acknowledge her comment.

Two hours later, Edward still hadn't made any progress with the piles of paperwork on his desk and was extremely frustrated. The numbers for his branch weren't adding up and he needed a little break. He wanted to call the paper and post his ad for his new position, but couldn't bring himself to call the incompetent local paper. He sighed and walked over to his cabinet and grabbed a glass and his vodka. After pouring himself a bit of liquid courage, he made the call.

"_Thank you for calling 'The Daily Gazette' to place an ad for sale of an item…press one."_

"Fuck!" Edward exclaimed out loud. He hated automated phone systems. He listened to the options available to him and by the time he got to "_Press four,"_ he cursed again.

"Operator," he said loudly into the receiver.

"_I understand you want to speak to a representative, but first I need to make sure…"_

Edward slammed the phone on the receiver, and took a deep breath. His patience was running thin today, and he didn't want to talk to a damned computer. Just as he was about to dial again, Gianna strolled into his office.

Edward cursed under his breath as Gianna made her presence known.

"Hmmhmm," she cleared her throat and Edward looked up from his computer screen.

"Yes?" he gritted through his teeth.

"Care to tell me what was going on downstairs with you and Lauren?"

"None of your business," he replied curtly.

"Oh…I think it's my business when you talk to your employees the way I understand you spoke to Lauren." Her eyes narrowed into slits and her lips were drawn into a straight line.

Edward raised his eyes and looked at Gianna. "The only one that I feel the need to speak harshly to is Lauren. I will not be treated disrespectfully by her or any of my other employees. She thinks that because she is related to you, that she can get away with murder. No more. She is not above firing, Gianna, I don't care who she's related to. She needs to be checked and put down a few notches. Someone else could do the same as well." He spoke the last line in barely a whisper, and went back to work dismissing her with his actions.

"I need you to pick Alex up from school again," she commanded as she walked out the door.

"Gianna, I don't have time to…" Edward's sentence was cut short by the slamming of the door down the hall.

"Fuck!" Edward pounded his fist on his desk in frustration, grabbed his coat off the back of his chair, and left his work behind. The woman knew exactly what to say and do to push his buttons and he realized that she enjoyed pushing them too much.

Reaching into his coat pocket, Edward pulled out his phone to try to call the newspaper on his way out the bank's front entrance. Once again he was met with the same annoying voice recording on the other end of the line. By the time he reached an operator, he was fuming.

"Why is it that you have to go through a computer to get to a god damned person," he screamed into his phone.

"Sir, I'll be happy to help you, but you need to calm down," the woman replied to his outburst.

Edward's patience was running thin, and although he knew that he shouldn't take out his frustrations on a complete stranger, he found that it felt good to get it out all the same. The street outside the bank was bustling with cars and the wind was whipping around his face. Edward pulled his sport coat closer to his body. "I need to place an ad in your employment section of the newspaper," he spat.

Twenty minutes later, Edward had placed the ad and had managed to pick Alex up from school without any run-ins with Mrs. Whitlock. _Maybe today won't be so bad after all_, he mused. With Alex crashed out in the back seat of his car, Edward had time to think about the women he had in his life. There were some he could do without—namely Lauren, Gianna, and even that wretched Mrs. Whitlock—but there were some others that were indispensable. He knew he wouldn't trade anyone for Angela in the workplace, and personally, he adored Rosalie and the way she handled herself and his goofy cousin, Emmett. He didn't know if there was ever going to be that special person in his life, and quite frankly was content being on his own, as long as he could get laid every once in a while.

Edward pulled into Alex's driveway and turned off the car. He looked back at the boy sleeping in the backseat and smiled. _If only my life could be so simple_.

He gently touched the boy's leg to wake him without startling him. "Hey, Sport," he whispered, "we're here. Time to wake up."

Alex stretched his legs and yawned deeply. Edward watched as he slowly began waking up. "Come on, little man, Mom's going to be wondering what's taking so long." He couldn't help but smile as Alex's eyes opened slowly.

"Edward, can you stay for dinner?"

Edward snorted loudly, "I don't think so."

"Why? I didn't even get to spend any time with you! Mommy won't care…please?" Alex batted his eyes at Edward and he felt his resolve melting.

"You can't just invite someone for dinner without talking to your parents, Alex. It's not polite."

"Fine," Alex huffed as he tried to push Edward's seat forward. "I'll go ask."

Alex quickly got out of the car and ran toward the front door. It took all Edward had not to climb back into the seat, start the car, and peel out of the driveway. He didn't want to spend time with Aro and Gianna. He wasn't the kind of person that liked putting on false airs for people and unfortunately that's exactly what he had to do around them. Alex was the only one he worried about pleasing and he was the only reason he wasn't leaving right now.

"C'mon, Edward!" Alex called from the entryway, shaking Edward from his reverie. The young boy grinned from ear to ear as Edward made his way to where the boy stood. "Mama said you could stay! Isn't that awesome?"

"Hmmm…awesome." Edward forced a smile on his face and ruffled Alex's hair.

Alex grabbed his hand and led him through the entryway and into a large foyer. There was an elaborate topaz chandelier that hung over his head, emitting a warm glow throughout the room. To his right were double doors that Edward assumed lead into an office of some kind. He could see a large mahogany desk and several chairs outlining the space. Ahead of him was a large winding staircase that looked like it wrapped around the chandelier. The staircase's balustrade was accented with the same topaz stones that were on the light fixture and tied the room together nicely.

Edward could hear banging from what he assumed was the kitchen on his left. Alex continued to pull on Edward's arm, leading him to where the noise was coming from.

"Mommy! Edward said he would stay. Isn't that awesome?" Alex pushed his way through the door pulling Edward along behind him.

Once inside the kitchen, Edward couldn't help but laugh at the woman in front of him. Gianna was covered from head to toe with flour. There were chicken legs scattered all over the marble countertop, and egg dripping onto the floor from the bowl that had toppled over. The pan on the stove was smoking and the room quickly filled with an offensive odor, that Edward noticed didn't smell anything like fried chicken.

"Damn it! Wrong night to let the cook off," Gianna mumbled. She looked up and saw Edward standing in the doorway. He couldn't wipe the smirk off his face. It took all he had not to bust a gut while looking at an exasperated Gianna. The only thing that was keeping him in check was the little boy still holding his hand.

"Mommy, are you okay?" Alex's eyes were as wide as saucers as he tried to make sense of the scene in front of him.

"I'm fine…just fine," Gianna huffed.

"I could leave if you wish," Edward said. "Don't mind one bit," he whispered running his free hand through his hair.

"No…I'll just order something in." Gianna looked around her messy kitchen, shrugged her shoulders, before speaking again, "At least the cleaners will have something to do."

Edward's jaw dropped at her words. He knew that Gianna was a shallow person at the workplace, but for some reason he found himself hoping she was different at home…apparently not.

Gianna washed her hands and dried them on a towel before throwing it haphazardly on the flour coated counter. She opened a drawer near the phone on the wall and pulled out a well used menu. "Chinese okay?"

"Gianna, you really don't have to do this. I would hate to impose." Edward cringed internally at the tone of voice he was using. He usually wasn't so polite, especially with Gianna, but couldn't bring himself to say a nasty word to her with her son clinging to his hand.

"No biggy," she replied while dialing the number on the front of the menu.

"Hi, Elaine!" she spoke enthusiastically into the receiver. "I need to place an order to go…yes…the usual…" she looked at Edward then back at the menu. "Better make that for five…yes…that's right…oh no! Just put it on the bank's bill. Aro will take care of it…yes…thanks, hon!"

_What the…_ Edward thought to himself. He couldn't believe what he heard. Gianna was going to charge her dinner on the bank's dime. He wondered how often this happened. How did she explain this to the board of directors? He could almost hear her voice in his head as she would explain the unnecessary expenditure. _"This is a staff development expense. We had our employees over for dinner."_ Right…

Alex's hand tugged on his, dragging him out of his reverie. "C'mon, Edward! I'll show you my room."

Edward couldn't refuse the smile that spread across the young boy's features as he allowed Alex to drag him out of the kitchen and up the stairs.


	9. A Heart Is Shattered

_I realize it has been a VERY long time since I have updated. I don't have any excuses other than the fact that time has been an issue along with writer's block. (I guess I do have some excuses.) I am hoping that I still have some readers out there that are interested in this story. I'm posting this chapter to see what kind of response I get and to help me decide if there is enough interest to continue this story. _

_I was going to write a brief summary of Bella's story for you, but everything I started writing seemed to condensed. I encourage you to re-read Chapters 1, 3, and 5to get caught up in Bella's life. Edward's chapters are 2, 4, 6, and 7. I am hoping that I will be able to combine their stories relatively soon. Keeping up with the different timelines is becoming extremely difficult._

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Chapter Eight—A Heart Is Shattered

Bella woke with the sun blazing through her bedroom window. "Shit!" she screamed as she rolled over to check her alarm clock. 7:45…

"Shit, shit, shit!" she cursed while untying her legs from the blankets on her bed. "Emmmaaa! Honey, wake up! You'll be late for school."

Bella ran into her daughter's room and stopped in her tracks. Emma's bed was empty, her blankets thrown haphazardly over the end of the footboard. "Emma?" Panic rolled over her body and she felt her heart begin to race.

_Where is she?_

Bella took a deep cleansing breath and began searching the rooms upstairs, all the while calling her daughter's name. She was a light sleeper; surely she would have heard Emma this morning. Her daughter wasn't known for keeping quiet. She was all about routine as well. She didn't like her morning rituals disturbed. Bella was the one that got her up and ready for school. She knew Emma would have thrown a fit if it were any other way.

The house was quiet…unnervingly so…as she tripped down the stairs and into the dining room. "Emma?" The light was on in the kitchen and she thought she smelled the faint scent of burnt toast in the air. Emma was nowhere to be found. Bella's breathing quickened and small sweat beads rolled off her forehead.

"My phone…where's my phone?" she whispered while tears formed in her eyes.

Next to her phone, she spotted a small piece of paper. On it, Mike's messy scrawl…

Honey,

Thank you for last night. I decided to let you sleep and took Emma to school this morning. I don't know what time I'll get out of work today, so you'll need to pick her up. Don't forget its mom's birthday also. Don't worry about getting a present; flowers and a card will do, I think. Don't wait up. I could be late.

Mike

Bella let out the breath she didn't know she was holding and sunk to the floor. Tears cascaded down her cheeks as she held on to the small note as if her life depended on it. She felt like an elephant was sitting on her chest and she still couldn't get her breathing under control. She was losing it.

The last time she felt this way was when Emma was four months old. She and Mike had had a huge argument, about what she couldn't remember. Bella attempted to leave the apartment they were living in with Emma in her car seat, and before she could blink, Mike was ripping her daughter out of her hands.

"You can go," he seethed, "but Emma's mine and she stays with me!"

"Emma's my daughter too," Bella replied back fearfully. She never thought that he would use their daughter against her, and she realized, at that moment, that Mike would stop at nothing to keep her where he wanted her. He knew she would never leave Emma. She was her life. It was at that moment that Bella realized she was stuck. Mike had more clout in the community than Bella did. He knew more people; people that knew a different side of Mike than the one he showed at home. Bella was trapped.

Bella's phone rang in her hand causing her to jump and her heart to race faster than it had before. She wiped the tears from her eyes and looked at the caller ID. The number was one she didn't recognize and instead of taking the call, she decided to let it go to voice mail. Whoever it was would have to leave a message.

Bella took a deep breath and slowly got up from the floor. What was she going to do today? She knew that she had to go and get the flowers and card for her mother-in-law, but after that…she didn't know. Mike had taken Emma to school, it might be a good idea to go and check on her. She made a mental list in her head of the errands she could accomplish while making her way to the bathroom to get ready for yet another drab day.

When had her life become so routine? She remembered a time when she was full of life and the world was within her reach and now…she felt like she didn't know what to do with herself.

Her life with Mike hadn't always been so mundane. When they first got together, she loved the quiet times with him when they would sit in the same room and just be; now she could barely stand to be around him at all. When did things start to change? She remembered when she used to enjoy the same things he did…camping, fishing, etc…but now the very thought of doing those things made her cringe. Was it her? She longed for the butterflies in her stomach when he used to walk through the door; the electricity she felt when he touched her tenderly and told her how beautiful she was. Where did that go? When did she become so unsatisfied with her life? Where had the vivacious young woman she used to be gone? These were all questions that Bella found she asked herself on a daily basis.

Her thoughts switched to the stranger she saw in the bookstore; his long legs stretched out in front of him while he read his paper. She had studied his face while he read. He had a strong, chiseled jaw line, soft full lips that she noticed he unconsciously licked as he read. His brow creased ever so slightly when he came across something that confused him. When his gaze landed on hers, she couldn't help but notice the warmth that crept to her cheeks when he caught her staring. In her mind, she imagined what it would be like to kiss him, to run her fingers through his unruly bronze hair. She had never been intrigued by a man like she had when she saw the stranger that day. Never before had she ever entertained the thought of kissing someone other than Mike. It wasn't like her to have an emotional affair, let alone with someone she had never officially met. This man unnerved her with that one look and since then, she couldn't stop thinking about him. She seemed to see him everywhere she went; although she knew it was only twice, she couldn't get him out of her mind. When she spied him across the street, talking on his cell phone her heart raced. He commanded respect. It oozed out of him. She remembered his frustration as he talked to the person on the other end of the line. He wasn't getting what he wanted. For some reason, his confidence excited her; made her think of things she shouldn't and would get her nowhere.

Stepping out of the shower, Bella wiped the steam off of the mirror and took a long look at herself. Her hair, although shorter, was wet and clinging to the sides of her face and down to her shoulders. She watched as the water droplets slowly trickled down her cheeks from her bangs to drop onto the vanity she was leaning on. Her brown eyes were dull and lifeless and dark circles were clearly visible. The lack of a good night's sleep the evening before had definitely taken a toll on her. Her body shook as she remembered Mike waking her up to fulfill his need. What time was that anyway? She didn't remember looking at the clock, but knew because of the deep sleep she was in, that it was well past the time he should have been home.

Bella stepped away from the mirror and grabbed a towel from the cabinet. As she dried her body, she began to look at herself in a way she had never done before. She had never really saw herself as attractive, but upon further exploration she found that her legs were lean with a slight muscle tone to them that she hadn't noticed before. As she reached the apex of her legs with towel, she realized she needed to do something to tame the wild beast growing below. Chuckling to herself at such a crazy thought, she mentally told herself that she would call Rosalie to schedule a bikini wax…pronto.

When she reached her stomach, she stopped drying. She had never been comfortable with the state her stomach was in. She knew there was no amount of sit-ups that would help make her stomach flat again. She had very little stretch marks, but did sport a huge scar from where they had to take Emma by emergency C-section. Over the scar lay the extra skin that she couldn't get rid of by exercise alone. She hated this part of herself more than any other part of her body. If she had the money, she knew she would do something about it, but she didn't. She knew she shouldn't allow her mind to continue down that path.

Bella stopped her inspection and quickly finished drying. This kind of thinking was going to get her nowhere. She had things to do today, and wasn't going to wallow in self-pity about things she couldn't change right now.

Twenty minutes later, Bella was sitting in her car in front of Emma's elementary school. She knew she was being stupid—going to check on her daughter—she needed to make sure her little one was okay. Grabbing her purse from the seat next to her she exited her car and started for the front of the school.

Inside she saw several children walking the hallways, some in straight lines like little ducklings following their mother, while others were scattered and not paying attention to where they were going. Bella walked to the office to check in before heading over to Mrs. Whitlock's room.

Mrs. Peters was on the phone and looked up as Bella entered the office and smiled. Pointing one finger up to tell Bella to hold on, she continued her conversation.

"Mrs. Morgan…yes…I understand you are going to be late…no…I do not have his name in Alex's file…yes…I see…okay…yes, I am writing his name down now," Mrs. Peters rolled her eyes and had a strained smile on her face. Bella couldn't help but laugh as the conversation continued. "Okay, Mrs. Morgan…yes, I wrote it down…excuse me? The name I wrote? Edward Mason…yes, okay…he is now authorized to pick Alex up at any time…yes…okay…thank you for calling."

Mrs. Peters hung up the phone and blew out a strangled breath. "I swear that woman is going to be the death of me! And to think I have to deal with her for another five years! Hi, Bella. What can I do for you today?"

"Hello, Mrs. Peters," Bella began, "I'm just here to check on Emma. She made it to school okay today, right?"

"Oh yes, dear," Mrs. Peters replied, "Mr. Newton dropped her off this morning, although he was a little late in doing so. Did you get to sleep in?"

"Something like that…," Bella whispered as she signed her name to the visitor's log on the counter. "I'm just going to go see Emma, and then I'll be on my way."

"Alright, have a great rest of your day!"

Bella waved at the woman and made her way out the door and down the hall to Emma's classroom. The hallway was empty now but sounds could be heard coming from inside the classrooms.

When she reached Room 8, Bella peered through the glass and into the room. Alice was sitting in an overstuffed recliner that was missing two of its stubby wooden feet. In their place were a few books to keep the chair from toppling over. It was bright orange, and the handle that would have been used to recline the chair was broken. Bella immediately spotted Emma sitting in the front listening to Alice read a story. Mrs. Whitlock was animated as she read; her eyebrows rising as she read an important part of the book.

Bella should have been content just looking in the window knowing Emma was safe and sound, but before she could think, her hand was on the knob turning the door to the room.

All eyes turned toward the sound.

"Mrs. Newton!" Alice exclaimed.

"Mommy!" Emma called out at the same time while tripping over the other students to get to her mother.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, Mrs. Whitlock," Bella explained sheepishly. "I needed to make sure that Emma got to school today."

"No worries…no worries. Come on in. We were just finishing a story." Alice pointed to another hideous chair next to hers. "You can sit in the special seat."

"Oh no! Really…I just wanted to make sure she was here." Turning to her daughter, "Honey, I'll pick you up after school, okay?"

Emma nodded her head, gave her mother a big hug, and slowly walked back to her spot on the floor.

She started to walk back out the door, when Alice stopped her. "Bella, wait!"

Alice told her students to go to their desks and take out a picture they were working on earlier and ushered Bella out the door.

Once outside the classroom, Alice turned toward Bella. "What's going on? It's not like you to come check on Emma during the day." Alice placed her small hand on Bella's shoulder.

Bella didn't have many friends, but had gotten to know Alice during Emma's kindergarten year. She had volunteered at the school several times to keep herself busy and the two of them had hit it off immediately.

"I slept in late today and woke up to find Emma gone." Tears threatened to form in her eyes and she took a deep breath to ward them off before continuing. "I was in a panic when I couldn't find her. Mike left a note, but I just needed to see for myself that she was here." A single tear escaped as she finished.

"Do you think Mike would run off with her? I know you have been having some issues, but do you really think he would do that?" Alice asked, rubbing Bella's arm.

"I'm…I'm not sure." Bella stuttered. "Things at home have been a little strained and…"

Alice wrapped her arms around Bella. "It's okay. Look…I have to get back in there before mayhem ensues. I'm here for you okay? Give me a call later and we can chat more."

Bella nodded and pulled away, wiping her tears that were now flowing freely. "I'm sorry, Alice," she began, "I shouldn't have come here. I was just so worried."

"You're welcome anytime. You know that." Playful squeals erupted from inside the room and Alice quickly opened the door. "I really need to go. Call me," she whispered, hugging Bella again. She walked into her noisy room and commanded the attention of the students inside.

Mindlessly, Bella drove to the florist to pick up a vase of flowers and a card for her mother-in-law's birthday. Mrs. Newton was a sweet woman, but one that Bella was never able to connect with. She was devoted to her husband, a controlling man ho never allowed Mrs. Newton to have a life of her own. She lived the life that Mr. Newton dictated. She was only ever going to be his wife and a worker in his store. When they retired a few years ago, Bella thought that this would be the time for her mother-in-law to venture out and find activities that she enjoyed. That idea was quickly squashed when Mr. Newton fell ill and Mrs. Newton had to take care of her ailing husband. They lived on a meager income of disability from the state and Mr. Newton never allowed his wife to take another job to support the family. Bella felt sorry for her. She hoped that someday Mike's mother would find the happiness she deserved.

Bella saw so much of her father-in-law in Mike. She never felt free to venture out on her own…to look for her own interests and passion…she was only to be Mike's wife and Emma's mother, and Bella found that now more than ever she wanted so much more than that. She didn't realize until recently how stifled she actually was. She was still fearful, but knew that in the long run she needed to find out who she was again; to find the woman she was supposed to be…she just didn't know how to accomplish it.

She found a simple vase and had the florist fill them with her mother-in-law's favorite flowers. The white and yellow daisies looked beautiful, with a small amount of greenery and baby's breath mixed in. Her next chore was to find a card that Mike would accept.

Bella spent 20 minutes looking through the cards at the Hallmark store when her phone rang. She looked at the caller ID and not recognizing the number, decided to let the call go.

Her phone beeped, signaling a new message and Bella dialed her voice mail and listened to the voice on the message.

"_Bella? This is Angela. We met at Rosalie's salon a few days ago. I wanted to call and tell you that we are looking for a part-time teller at the bank and I thought you might be interested in applying for the position…okay…well…feel free to call me back. My cell phone number is 555-3429. I look forward to hearing from you._"

Bella quickly wrote down the number and decided that she would call as soon as she delivered the flowers and card to Mike at the sporting goods store. Mike hadn't said anything about cake or any gathering that was going to take place at his parents' house, so she knew she needed to get the specifics of the when and where's of the event that evening.

When she finally got to her car and started driving through town towards the store, she thought she had better check to make sure that Mike was actually there before dropping the gifts off.

"_Newton's Sporting Goods"_

"Hi, Russell, it's Bella…is Mike there?"

The silence on the other end of the line made Bella feel uneasy. "_Ummm…yes he's here, but he's with a customer right now," _he answered quietly.

"Okay…no big deal. I got the flowers he requested for his mother's birthday and a card. Can you have him call me when he's free please?"

An audible sigh of relief could be heard, "_Sure…I'll let him know as soon as he's finished. Good-bye, Bella."_

Bella looked at her phone when the line went dead. _Odd._ She thought to herself. Russell was one of the few employees the Newtons had at the store. He was a great employee, always willing to work when needed and was the kind of young man that didn't have to be told twice when something needed to be done. Bella liked him and thought that Mike took advantage of his kindness far too many times over the years of running the business.

Instead of waiting for Mike to call, Bella decided to quickly stop by the store to show Mike the bouquet for his mother. Pulling into the parking lot, she had a feeling of dread rush over her. Her heart fell into her stomach and she had a distinct feeling something was very wrong.

The bell rang over her head and Russell looked up with a smile on his face that quickly faded when he saw Bella walk through the door.

"Bella! I was going to…I mean…I gave Mike your message…Um…he's out right now and said that he'd be back in about," Russell looked down at his wrist realizing his watch wasn't there. "He'll be back."

"It's okay, Russell. I'm just going to put these in the office and do a little paperwork before I head home to change for dinner." Bella began to walk toward the back of the store, but Russell grabbed her arm gently.

"Bella…"

The look in his eyes made the uneasiness in Bella's stomach begin to grow. It was as if he were pleading with her not to take another step.

"Russell, I'll only be a minute then I'll be out of your hair." Bella gently withdrew her arm from Russell's grasp and gave him a small smile.

The closer she got to the back of the store the more uneasy she felt. It was as if her conscience was telling her to stop, turn around, and go home. She knew she should listen, but there was another part of her that needed to find out why she was feeling the way she was.

When she reached the door, she paused. She could hear muffled voices from within the room. She turned to look at Russell who had a look of horror on his face. She gripped the vase in her hand a little tighter before opening the door.

It took her mind a few seconds to register what she was seeing. Jessica was bent over the desk, her skirt gathered around her waist. Mike was behind her holding onto her hips while he pounded her backside, his white ass plainly visible. The couple didn't hear the door open and continued their activity. When Bella's brain caught up to what she was seeing, she gasped and dropped the vase of flowers. The sound of breaking glass and Jessica's scream shook Bella from her dream state.

"Bella! It's not what you think!" Mike stammered. Jessica quickly pulled her skirt down but left her panties around her ankles.

Unable to utter a word, Bella left the room, leaving the flowers and her heart behind.

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**A/N: There you have it! Any response would be appreciated. I know it's been a long time, and I can't promise quick updates, but I do want to finish this story. Whether or not I post it on FF is up to you...so REVIEW!~~~~Thanks, Jbluvs2sing**


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